White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition
by Ron the True Fan
Summary: Adopted from Skywalker T-65: When Rukia was taken back, Sode no Shirayuki stayed with Ichigo. This is the story of Ichigo and Rukia, done differently. Watch out, Aizen: you screwed with the wrong shinigami.
1. Prologue: The Reaper with Two Swords

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

A/N: Well here is the newest story from me. This one though isn't my idea it is from a challenge I received...thus the credit goes to the creator of the Challenge for thinking up this wonderful idea... that person being Ryuken-Sogetsu.

Here is the challenge in its entirety, just so you guy's know what I'm working with:

#1 Any time before Ichigo gets owned by Byakuya, or when he's about to be, Sode no Shirayuki tells Ichigo her name to protect Rukia forming a link between the two of them

#2 Ichigo can use both Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki and Rukia can use Zangetsu as well

#3 It doesn't need to be an IchiRuki pairing but it fits the easiest so have fun if that's what you want

#4 Sode no Shirayuki forces Ichigo to learn kido/forces Rukia to teach him because she "Can't stand being treated so roughly." and because of his fail-tacular control of his reishi

#5 If you want to be poetic and have Byakuya get beaten by Sode no Shirayuki because it's his sister's zanpakutō

#6 Because of her bond/link/whatever term you decide to Ichigo's soul, Rukia becomes a Vizard (this one I might drop...sorry Ryuken) (Ron AN: I think I'll put this one back in. I like Dark Rukia from Fade to Black, although I found the movie itself...lacking)

#7 Rukia can "borrow" reishi from Ichigo and vice versa

#8 Only one "copy" of each Zanpakutō can exist at one time so when they call on the other Zanpakutō, the Zanpakutō has to agree first.

#9 Ichigo's Sode no Shirayuki is a different size and shape from Rukia's to suit his physical and fighting style differences, and her Zangetsu is tailored to her as well, but the Zanpakutō's powers are the same

So there you go, that is what I'm working with...the overall concept here is that Ichigo can use Sode no Shirayuki, and that said Zanpakutō let him do it. That being said, I hope you all like it.

Rukia: They better like it, you put a lot of work into this.

Ichigo: Yeah I know he did...which is weird considering just how many stories he has.

A/N: Yes I know I need to work on the other ones, that's no reason to scare people off strawberry.

Ichigo: My name does not mean STRAWBERRY for the last time!

Prologue: The Reaper with Two Swords

Ichigo Kurosaki found himself in a very dangerous situation. His friend, Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki had ran off, supposedly to protect him when her people came to arrest her for giving him her powers. But Rukia had to have known that Ichigo would chase after her…it was in his nature after all. When he had found his friend, Ichigo had to save his rival Uryū Ishida from the blade of a Soul Reaper with red-hair shaped oddly like a pineapple. That same Soul Reaper had cut Rukia's arm and cheek, and the sight of the blood, and Rukia holding her wounded arm made Ichigo angrier than he had ever been. He didn't understand why…but he wanted to kill this man for even daring to hurt Rukia.

"Hey carrot-top, I asked a question, what Squad are you from?" The redhead yelled at Ichigo, breaking him out of his daze.

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, pineapple, and I don't come from one of your Squads!" Ichigo was completely beyond caring about if the Reapers knew who he was.

The Reaper glared at Ichigo over the hair joke…and then yelled, "The name's Renji Abarai, boy! And if you aren't from a Squad, you must be the human who stole Rukia's powers!"

"So what if I am? It was the only way to keep both of us from dying. Why should it matter anyway?" Ichigo lazily held his Zanpakutō behind his back.

"It matters because if I kill you she will get her powers back!" Renji jumped at Ichigo and brought his blade down.

The younger Reaper brought his blade up and intercepted Renji's strike. Though the redheaded Reaper kept on swinging, pushing Ichigo back. As soon as it looked like he got an opening, Ichigo swung his blade down…but Renji just jumped over him and cut Ichigo's shoulder.

"So pitiful…you didn't really think you stood a chance did you? Rukia ran away to save you…but you had to be a moron and come after her didn't you? " Renji held his blade on his shoulder.

Ichigo just glared up at the older Reaper, as Renji continued talking, with a very sad looking Rukia in the background, "You know, you never really had a chance kid. You're a sad excuse for a human, let alone a Reaper, you could never hope to even scratch me."

But Renji was interrupted as Ichigo surged upwards and cut his jaw.

"What was that something about not even giving you a scratch?" Ichigo smirked, despite the pain in his arm.

"Why you little…" Renji said, before the other Soul Reaper distracted him.

"You let your guard down Renji." The other Reaper said.

"But Captain! He's just a human with Rukia's powers. I mean look at that monster of a Zanpakutō! He obviously can't control his reiatsu!"

"I recognized him from a report that the Secret Remote Squad sent in. This boy, Ichigo Kurosaki drove a Menos back to Hueco Mundo."

Renji's eyes widened, but then he broke out laughing, "Are you serious, Captain Kuchiki? There is no way this boy could hurt a Menos! The Remote Squad isn't what it used to be. Hey twerp, what's the name of your Zanpakutō?"

Ichigo looked at Renji like he was crazy. Perhaps he was. "What do you mean name? You named your Zanpakutō?"

Renji just laughed again before raising his blade. "See, you don't even know your blades name. Let me show you what your missing, boy! Roar, Zabimaru!"

And with that the Reaper's blade transformed into a segmented monster of a sword, that Renji brought down on Ichigo after jumping into the air. The young human brought his own Zanpakutō up to block, but Renji's blade split into segments, and sliced into Ichigo's shoulder, the older Reaper ripping it out slowly and very painfully.

As Ichigo collapsed to the ground, Renji gloated again, "Told you that you weren't a match for me kid. A Zanpakutō changes according to the wielder's reiatsu. How do you like the shape of my reiatsu?"

Ichigo didn't say anything; he was still in too much shock and pain. But Rukia was in shock, too. 'Ichigo…how could this happen! I told him not to follow me, but deep down I guess I always knew he would. Ichigo is too stubborn to just stay behind…but that's what I love about him-wait did I just think that?'

Rukia shook her head to clear those thoughts, and ran at Renji, grabbing her oldest friends arm yelling the whole time, "Ichigo, get out of here! Run while you can!"

But Ichigo just grabbed the hilt of his blade, and slowly stood up.

"Hey, looks like you still have some fight in you, carrot-top. It's no fun killing a helpless enemy anyway, so come on, die with your blade swinging." Renji raised Zabimaru, once more aiming to kill Ichigo.

But he was pushed back when a fierce wind blew out from Ichigo, the result of his skyrocketing reiatsu. Renji couldn't believe what he was seeing, but he was soon forced out of that daze as Ichigo shot by him and cut his shoulder.

What was that? He was dying a minute ago and now he has all this power! This shouldn't be possible! Renji thought angrily raising Zabimaru, only for Ichigo to appear right in front of him, driving the Reapers own blade into his face.

Renji skidded along the road, only avoiding falling by grabbing onto some railing, his goggles falling in broken shards all around him.

"Ha, what was that about killing me, pineapple?! I have never felt so alive, there is so much power flowing through me! I don't know where it came from but I don't really care, my wound's don't hurt, and I feel like I can take you apart now!" Ichigo jumped up and bringing his blade down on Renji…only for it to be snapped in half.

Ichigo looked at Renji, and seeing he hadn't moved, looked at the other Reaper who he guessed was Rukia's brother or something along those lines. He saw the Captain holding the blade of his Zanpakutō, even though Ichigo couldn't remember him moving. He then saw the elder Kuchiki drop the blade, and move his hand towards his own blade. Ichigo held his shattered Zanpakutō in front of him, ready to fight with the ruined sword…but he heard a distinctly feminine voice yell in his head...

"_Move Ichigo! He's going to attack!_"

Not sure why he was listening to the voice, Ichigo twisted his body to the side, but it wasn't enough, he still felt the blade enter his chest.

"ICHIGO!" Rukia did not believe what she was seeing.

Rukia's brother looked over at her, before turning back to Ichigo,."Your slow boy, even when you fall."

He then drove his blade into Ichigo yet again, not noticing how his body dodged slightly to the side again. As Ichigo's body crumpled to the ground, the Captain sheathed his sword and walked away. Rukia ran towards Ichigo, only to be slammed into a pole by Renji.

"Don't bother Rukia; the boy is dead! All you will do by running to him is add 20 years to your sentence!" "I don't care! He died trying to save me! What's wrong with running to him! I even lo…" Rukia stopped herself at the end, not believing her own ears on what she had almost said.

"You _what,_ Rukia? You love this boy? Is it because he looks like _him?"_

Rukia just hung her head, not answering her brother. But her head shot up when she felt a surge of very familiar reiatsu from Ichigo…it was her own!

A few minutes earlier

"Ichigo…Ichigo…wake up!" that female voice from earlier yelled.

Ichigo slowly opened his eyes, and saw nothing but blazing snow around him. When he looked around, he saw a bunch of buildings surrounding him, but it was hard to make out details through the blinding snowstorm.

"About time you woke up. I see you noticed you aren't where you used to be." The female voice said.

"Who are you? And where are you!" Ichigo yelled, looking wildly around the area.

"Up here Ichigo." The voice answered from behind the young Soul Reaper.

As he turned around, Ichigo saw a beautiful women standing in front of him. She had long white hair, and an intricate blue kimono.

"Who are you? And where are we?"

"This is your inner world Ichigo…though I imagine it would look quite different if I wasn't here. I am Rukia's Zanpakutō, you formed a link with me when you took her powers."

Ichigo's jaw dropped. "Inner World? And you're Rukia's Zanpakutō? Why am I in here in the first place?"

The women laughed lightly. "My, aren't you full of questions, Ichigo. This is the deepest refuge of your soul. You are in here because Byakuya Kuchiki, my wielders brother, nearly destroyed the source of your powers, your Soul Chain and Soul Sleep. I did what I could to move your body after the first blow, but you still took a bad wound. I can help you get back up and fight them more, but only for a very limited time, and I will be strained to hide your powers after that. Knowing that…do you want to fight or live?"

Ichigo stood up, and looked his best friends Zanpakutō straight in the eyes. "I want to fight!"

The women nodded. "Okay then, my name is….

Back on the outside

Rukia watched as Ichigo stood up, his body cloaked in fierce white reiatsu. He was no longer holding his massive, if broken, Zanpakutō…but Rukia recognized the weapon he was holding…it was her blade! It was slightly off though…the blade was much longer, and the ribbon wrapped up around Ichigo's arm.

"Sode no Shirayuki…what an interesting name." Ichigo looked at the new blade in his hand before launching faster than ever at Byakuya.

The Captain barely raised his own blade in time to intercept Ichigo, who was raining blows down on Byakuya faster than Rukia could follow, the beautiful white blade contrasting sharply with the black uniforms of the combatants.

'How could Ichigo be using Sode no Shirayuki? I didn't know it was possible for a Soul Reaper to use another one's Zanpakutō...' Rukia thought, not sure what to make of what she was seeing.

Ichigo was slowly pushing Byakuya back, the Captain not expecting the shear ferocity behind the younger man's blows, and the length of his blade. But as soon as the attack started, it suddenly stopped, as blood flew out from Ichigo's chest, and the blade in his hands faded away in a burst of white reiatsu…along with any signature of Spiritual Power from Ichigo. The young man then fell back to the ground, where Byakuya raised his katana, ready to deal a killing blow. But Rukia had broken free from Renji and jumped in front of Ichigo.

"Stop, brother! That was just my power trying to defend me! Ichigo has none left, why bother killing him!"

"And how do you know that Rukia? How do you know he wasn't using your power and is just hiding it now?" Byakuya raised an eyebrow at how much Rukia cared for this human boy.

"Have you ever heard of a Soul Reaper being able to use another's Zanpakutō, brother? I'm telling you it was just Shirayuki using him to try and defend me." Rukia was desperate, hoping her brother would listen and not kill Ichigo in front of her.

Byakuya sighed and sheathed his blade before turning around.

"Rukia, the boy's Soul Chain and Soul Sleep were severed anyway. He will die soon enough…now, come with us."

Rukia nodded sadly, and with one final look at the battered and bleeding Ichigo she followed her brother, tears flowing freely, and she didn't even try to stop the crying.

Ichigo looked on the whole time, too weak to move or even talk. All he could do is watch as Rukia walked through the portal Renji made, looking back one last time, and Ichigo's heart nearly broke seeing the free flowing tears on Rukia's face.

"I'm sorry Ichigo…I did all that I could. Whenever you wake up, don't be afraid to call on me for help…just call my name…" Ichigo slowly faded into unconsciousness.

A few hours later~

'Huh…I'm still alive…and why does it feel warm all of a sudden?' Ichigo slowly returned to alertness.

But he soon jumped up as he saw a strange face hovering just inches above his own.

"AHHHH! Who are you?!" Ichigo screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to push the man off of him.

"Boss he's awake!" Ichigo recognized him while throwing him off.

"Wait, you're one of Hat and Clog's guys, why were you on top of me?" Ichigo sat up too quick and pulling his still healing wounds.

"I wouldn't move around too much Mr. Kurosaki, you could reopen your wounds." Kisuke said walking into the room, holding both his cane and a sealed Zanpakutō.

Ichigo recognized the blade immediately…it was Rukia's Zanpakutō. Which reminded him... 'Hey are you still in there Sode no Shirayuki?'

"_Yes, I am, Ichigo, and you don't need to use my full name. The fact is that I will be in here until we can rescue Rukia and she can recover me along with the rest of her powers. Though we will always have a link_."

Ichigo nodded slightly and noticed Kisuke staring at him.

"What is it, Hat and Clogs? I'm assuming you save me and brought me to your place right? What about Uryū, is he okay too?"

Kisuke nodded. "Yes I did, Mr. Kurosaki. Mr. Ishida is fine, his wounds weren't that bad, so he just went home, though he did seem worried about you. But that's beside the point. I don't know how you did it, but you retained your Soul Reaper powers. I can tell that you know your Zanpakutō's name too."

Ichigo shook his head. "No, I haven't actually."

Kisuke looked confused by that. "What do you mean you haven't? Your blade shrank to a sealed state and I could sense you talking to your blade."

Ichigo just shook his head again. "No, I was talking to Rukia's blade. For whatever reason I can use Rukia's Zanpakutō. Which reminds me, can you please hand Shirayuki over?"

Kisuke numbly nodded and handed Ichigo the sealed blade, not quite sure what was going on…he had never heard of a Soul Reaper being able to use a Zanpakutō other than their personal blade of course.

"Well then, that saves me some trouble, I was planning on having to replace your powers. But now I don't have to, since you can use Ms. Kuchiki's like that." Kisuke hid his shock behind his fan.

"Well actually I would like some training…since I can tell you must have some idea what your doing from what Shirayuki has told me. That and I can't run around using Rukia's Zanpakutō all the time, I need to learn the name of my own." Ichigo hung Shirayuki on his waist before standing up.

"Okay then, Mr. Kurosaki. Let's get started tomorrow, for now you need to go home and finish healing."

Ichigo nodded, and set off for his house after hopping back into his body.

A/N: Well there was the chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this, my first attempt at writing a challenge response. Please read and review. Oh and the OOCness with Ichigo and Rukia was intentional, the point of it being this story has the Ichi/Ruki stuff from the start, that and Rukia wasn't even sure where her sudden feelings came from...as you can notice by her never outright saying anything about loving Ichigo (that was Byakuya not her).

Rukia: What a short chapter...

Ichigo: And I should have won that fight easily!

A/N: Oh stop complaining.

Ron the True Fan AN:

Once again, I have taken on the challenge of adopting and continuing a story.

As always, I am going to make sure the words are spelt correctly, (good story, a little screwy on the spelling, though) and I will be recycling what I can.

Ja Ne!


	2. Chapter 1: Training to Storm Heaven

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach.

A/N: Well here is the second chapter. Honestly I didn't expect to get this out so soon...so don't expect regular posts this fast. That being said, I hope you all enjoy this and review.

Ichigo: About time you got some work done.

Rukia: And I want out of this cell...

Ichigo: Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!

A/N: Not yet strawberry...its still too early.

Chapter 1: Training to Storm Heaven

'It's so odd…everyone forgot Rukia…it's almost like she was never here. I thought Uryū at least would remember her, but he isn't here.' He was already starting to miss Rukia.

'_It's not surprising they forgot her Ichigo. She never lived here to start with, and if that wasn't enough Byakuya and Renji probably wiped all their memories_.'

Ichigo flinched a little, since he still wasn't used to hearing her in his head. And he stuck his face in his hands when the Zanpakutō spirit laughed at his reaction.

But the rest of the day passed much the same as a normal day would…only without Rukia. Shirayuki tried to cheer Ichigo up, but it didn't work, the young Reaper felt something was missing from his life without Rukia.

As Ichigo walked towards Kisuke's shop Orihime waved him down.

"Ichigo…where's Rukia, and why has everyone forgotten her?"

After talking for a few minutes Orihime looked at her friend sadly. "So she was taken back to the Soul Society? That must really be tearing you up."

"I'm a little surprised with you Orihime, I didn't know you could see us. But yeah, it hurts to have lost her, but I'm not about to give up on her. And it helps to have her Zanpakutō to talk to."

'_Hmm…so you like having me in here? Maybe I should make myself more comfortable_…' Shirayuki started rearranging the furniture she had materialized on top of one of the buildings.

Ichigo just sighed, making Orihime raise an eyebrow since she hadn't said anything. But she did say something now. "Are you sure you should take her back? I mean that is her home, all her friends and family live in the Soul Society."

Ichigo just looked at Orihime like she had said he should kill himself, since leaving Rukia behind to die would end up with much the same result.

"But…if you think that's right then do it Ichigo. After all, if she's still alive she can see her family and friends again. I don't want my friend to die anymore than you do."

Ichigo suddenly stood up, and looked down on Orihime. "Don't worry, I will bring Rukia back here…back to where she belongs!"

Orihime nodded at Ichigo's retreating back, and headed over to a phone, "Yeah…we need to train Chad…I'll meet you later…bye."

Urahara Shoten

"Good to see you Mr. Kurosaki. Are your wounds healed?"

Ichigo just pulled his shirt open, exposing his scars.

"Good, well follow me, you're in for a rough ride Ichigo."

Ichigo nodded, but yelled out, "Thank you for saving me!"

Kisuke turned around, hiding his face behind his fan, "What did you say?"

Ichigo flushed a little, "Nothing."

Kisuke smiled behind his fan. "That's what I thought. Come on, we need to start."

'He knows what you said.'

'I know, but if he chooses to ignore it that works for me.'

'Good point, but let's get this over with, I want to go get Rukia and your Zanpakutō is getting impatient for you to learn his name.'

A few minutes later~

"WOW! Who knew such a large space existed under my shop!"

"Yeah, yeah, very impressive…can we get on with the training?" Ichigo was unimpressed.

"Oh come on…I put a lot of work into this, look I painted the ceiling blue…and added trees to make it look more natural."

"That just makes it feel like a prison…and is it policy to ignore customers like that?"

Tessai sighed. "Don't ask…"

"Well let's get this training started." Ichigo stretched his legs, ready to get started.

"Okay then, you asked for this Mr. Kurosaki…" Kisuke brought his cane into Ichigo's face, knocking the young man out of his body.

"OW! What was that for?" Shirayuki started laughing in his head.

"What? You needed to be out of your body to train…now hand over that blade." Kisuke smiled behind his fan and pointed at Shirayuki.

"What? Why do you need Shirayuki?" Ichigo stuck his hand defensively over the blade on his waist.

'_You don't need me to communicate with your own Zanpakutō, Ichigo. I would only interfere with that_.'

'Okay then, but I still don't like giving you to him.'

'_Oh. don't worry about it. He can't do anything to me without you knowing. Besides, my master trusted him so I don't see why you can_'t.'

"Okay then, here's the blade Hat and Clogs…don't do anything to her." Ichigo pulled the Zanpakutō out of his belt.

"Okay then, now for the actual training…" Kisuke said, before hitting Ichigo in the head with his cane, knocking the younger man out.

Ichigo's inner world

Ichigo woke up back in his inner world, and it was still snowy, but without the blizzard from before.

"You know that was mean…but I can't fault Urahara's methods it did get you in here."

"Are you kidding me? He could have at least warned me!" Ichigo was extremely angry with Kisuke for not warning him.

"Oh, get over it Ichigo, there's someone here who wants to meet you." Shirayuki pointed towards a pole on the building.

When Ichigo looked in that direction he saw a man in a dark robe with yellow sunglasses standing on it…which wouldn't have been to odd if it weren't for the fact that he was standing sideways.

"I'm guessing that you're my Zanpakutō, right?" Ichigo did not noticing the odd angle the man was standing at for a second or two.

"Yes I am…but I have a question for you Ichigo? How are you sitting like that?"

"Huh…what are you talking about? And how are you standing like that?" Ichigo wondered what the spirit was talking about before he looked down. And promptly stood up and hugged himself to the wall of the building.

Ichigo then heard Shirayuki's melodious laughter above him before she said, "Oh, calm down, Ichigo. This is your inner world: you aren't in any danger. In any case, didn't you notice we have no problem standing in here? If it really makes you feel better come to the top of one of the buildings…although that will make you fall."

"Ha, ha…very funny Shirayuki. You're used to this weird sideways city, I'm not." Ichigo hesitantly stepped out.

"What makes you think I'm used to it? This isn't my normal home, remember? The most I can do to make it seem homely…hence the snow. Though, I don't want to know what this place says about the state of your mind…"

Ichigo glared at the female Zanpakutō and turned towards the oddly silent man.

"Okay, then…what am I going to have to do to learn your name? Shirayuki told me a little, but I still don't know exactly how."

"It's simple really Ichigo…see all the swords surrounding you? Find the correct one and you will be able to hear my name." the man said, indicating the field of Zanpakutōs surrounding the little group.

Ichigo looked at the two spirits like they were joking, but seeing how serious they were he sighed and got to work looking through the blades.

The first one that caught his eye was the super-sized version of Shirayuki he had been using since he first got Rukia's powers. But as soon as Ichigo grabbed it, the thing snapped in half, resembling what it looked like when Byakuya broke it. Ichigo dropped the blade and moved on, but every time he grabbed one it either broke the same way, or disintegrated in his hands. Ichigo was just about ready to give up and ask for help, but then he saw another blade…and this one seemed to call to him. It was about the length of Shirayuki when he had used her against Byakuya, but it had a sliver blade, blue hilt, blue tassels, and a gold guard. When Ichigo picked this blade up it didn't break or disintegrate, and the teen heard a voice in his head.

"Good job Ichigo…you found me. That blade represents your resolve…to protect your friends, your family, and to rescue Rukia. My name is…"

Ichigo found himself back outside his body.

"I'm guessing you found out your blades name right Ichigo?"

"Oh yeah I did Hat and Clogs…and why didn't you warn me!" Ichigo punched the shopkeeper in the face.

"OW! What was that for?"

"You just knocked me out without any warning…of course I'm going to be angry!"

"But it was necessary…you wouldn't have let me do it otherwise…nice Zanpakutō, by the way." Kisuke pointed at Ichigo's back, while holding his nose with his other hand.

Ichigo stuck his hand behind his back, not sure what Kisuke was talking about…and felt the hilt of a Zanpakutō. When he unsheathed it, Ichigo saw it was the blade he had found in his Inner World. After Ichigo re-sheathed the blade, Kisuke handed over Shirayuki, which left Ichigo with two Zanpakutō's, one on his hip and one on his back.

"Well then…now that you know the name of your Zanpakutō, we can start the actual training. First thing's first…knock my hat off with either of your Zanpakutōs." Kisuke once again smiled behind his fan.

Ichigo lunged forward with his newly earned Zanpakutō, but Kisuke leaned back slightly and all Ichigo hit was the rim of the hat.

"Hmm…you got that close with a sealed Zanpakutō…impressive, but don't think I'll go easy on you." Kisuke said, drawing his own blade out of his cane.

Ichigo nodded, and turned his own blade on Kisuke, ready to launch his own attack. But when Kisuke lunged at him, Ichigo could barely follow the blow, and he was knocked back into a rock, shattering it with his body. Kisuke quickly followed through the dust, never letting up on attacking Ichigo.

The younger Reaper brought his blade up, and expected it to cleave right through Kisuke's, since it couldn't possibly be a Zanpakutō. But when the slender blade knocked Ichigo's larger sword aside and cut a gash on his forehead, Shirayuki berated her current wielder.

_'Ichigo don't be such an idiot! How would he know so much stuff if he wasn't a Soul Reaper at some point_?!'

Ichigo just shook his head, and listened to Kisuke confirm the female spirits suspicions, "You thought this wasn't a Zanpakutō, didn't you? Well, let me tell you something…this sword is most defiantly a Zanpakutō. Awaken, Benehime."

And with those words, Kisuke's blade turned into an ornate blade with a crooked handle. He then brought it down, forcing Ichigo back from shear power.

_'If there was ever a time to use your own Zanpakutō, now is the time, Ichigo!'_

_'Yes Ichigo, call my name and you can defeat this man.'_

Ichigo nodded heavily, and raised his blade over his head. "Zangetsu!"

When the smoke cleared, it revealed Ichigo holding a large meat cleaver shaped blade.

"Congratulations, Mr. Kurosaki you finally released your Shikai! Now we can really get started with this training!" Kisuke clapped, semi-mocking the orange haired teen.

"Sorry, Mr. Urahara…you can dodge this right? Because I can't control it yet!" Ichigo brought Zangetsu down, with a massive blast of blue energy coming from the blade.

"Scream Benehime!" Kisuke barely raised a shield in time.

When the smoke cleared, Kisuke was standing with a damaged red shield in front of him, and a crater behind him, and his hat cut nearly in half in front of him.

"Whew…you killed my hat, Mr. Kurosaki. And you are one scary kid…lesson 1 complete." Kisuke put on the damaged hat, and looking at Ichigo sleeping on the re-sealed Zangetsu.

Meanwhile, in the Soul Society

"Good morning, Lieutenant Abarai," A couple of lower ranking Reapers greeted Renji as he walked past them.

"Yeah, yeah, good morning." Renji waved behind his back.

He then walked through the door to his barracks, and headed to the cell Rukia was in.

"Hey Rukia, I came to see you!" The Lieutenant looked into the dark cell, finding Rukia just saw sitting in her chair, staring out the small window, and she didn't even turn around when she spoke. "Hello, Renji…come to mock me?"

Renji's temper flared a little at that, but he kept it in check. "No, I didn't, Rukia, I just came to see how you were doing."

Rukia laughed lightly at that…but it didn't have any mirth to it, the laugh sounded sad and defeated, "Well, nice to know you still care about me…even after you let my Brother kill the only person who still liked me for who I am."

Renji's temper did jump to the front this time. "You're still moping over that carrot-top? Rukia, the boy is dead and probably never cared about you in the first place!"

Rukia just let out that same laugh again. "And how would you know that, _Lieutenant_ Abarai? How do you know Ichigo didn't care about me…you killed him before he could explain himself!"

Renji couldn't believe his ears…Rukia was yelling at him like he had betrayed her…and she really cared about that human more than her oldest friend? He couldn't believe this…

"Rukia, why are you so angry at us? We did the right thing! Look at you…if you had stayed there any longer you would never have come back. We did what was expected of us…unlike you who had the nerve to fall for a human boy!"

Rukia did turn to Renji this time, and it nearly broke the redheads heart…even considering how angry he was. Her eyes were red and puffy; making it obvious she had been crying since she got there, and her expression was the most depressed and defeated he had ever seen on Rukia's face. But beneath it all, there was a deep anger…anger at herself for letting Ichigo die…and deep hatred at Renji and Byakuya for killing him in such a horrible way.

"I would like you to leave now Renji, I want to be alone…since that's how you left me, you and my 'Brother'. I have no one now…not even my Zanpakutō." Rukia turned back from Renji, and walked to her cot to lie down.

Renji just gaped at Rukia for a second, and then turned around angrily to leave the room, still not believing Rukia truly cared for that human more than him.

Once she was sure Renji was gone, Rukia broke down crying again. She hated showing such weakness, but her heart had been shattered the moment Byakuya had stabbed Ichigo for the second time, sealing the boys fate. It was only then she acknowledged what she had felt for Ichigo…far to late to help him or tell him. And now she was alone, waiting to die, and hope that she could join him…in death if not in life…

A/N: Well...there was the chapter. And honestly writing the last part depressed me so I don't know how you all will react to it. And it was my first attempt at angst...so not sure how it turned out. But bear in mind I'm working with a Rukia who loves Ichigo, and thus would be more depressed by his 'death', than in canon.

Isshin: That was so sad! Ichigo rescue my third daughter already!

Ichigo: What are you doing here you crazy old man! And she's not your daughter!

Rukia: Get here and save me already!

A/N: This is odd...

Ron the True Fan AN

(Tinkering with T-72 tank)

If you're wondering why I'm leaving in the old Author's Notes, it's a sign that those were the edited original chapters.

ICHIGO: OI! What the hell are you doing with this thing?!

AUTHOR: See that gate? (Points at western Seireitei entrance) I'm going to destroy it.

ICHIGO: With the tank's gun?

AUTHOR: Hell, no. I'm going to ram it.

ICHIGO: Correct me if I'm wrong, but a T-72 doesn't go fast enough to do that.

AUTHOR: I boosted the engines and added rockets. If my calculations are correct, this thing will go straight to...Ludicrous Speed.

ICHIGO:..

AUTHOR: I reinforced the armor; it'll be fine!

ICHIGO: (looks at camera) I think he's lost it.


	3. Chapter 2: To the Soul Society

A/N: Well here is the chapter. I'm sorry this took longer to get out, but I have other stories to work on after all. That being said, I hope you all enjoy the chapter and review.

Ichigo: About darn time...

Rukia: I know...and that last chapter was depressing...

Nami o Katto: Tell me about it...my master depressed me...

A/N: And why is the Zanpakutō I made up here?

Ichigo: Since you have been ignoring her? How should we know?

A/N: Well if you are here do the disclaimer.

Nami o Katto: Oh fine...Skywalker does not own Bleach nor does he want to.

Chapter 2: To the Soul Society

Ichigo was taking one of his rare breaks. He had been training practically non-stop the past few days and it was nice to be able to rest.

'Man, that guy is really putting us through our paces isn't he?'

Ichigo just shrugged, he had gotten used to talking with Rukia's Zanpakutō by now, even if Zangetsu wasn't terribly talkative himself. Not that Ichigo was worried about that…since he knew the Zanpakutōs talked with each other more than they did with him. But that was getting off topic, as Kisuke was walking back up to Ichigo to restart the training.

"Come on Mr. Kurosaki, you need to keep training." Kisuke said.

Ichigo nodded and grabbed both the Zanpakutōs next to him, "Which one do you want this time, Hat and Clogs? Shirayuki or Zangetsu?"

"Let's try Shirayuki this time, you need to learn to use her better." Kisuke answered.

Ichigo nodded and set Zangetsu back down before drawing Shirayuki, "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

Kisuke looked at the long white blade Ichigo was now holding…and still couldn't get over the fact that the boy was using someone else's Zanpakutō. But then he jumped at Ichigo, Benihime drawn and slashing down on Shirayuki.

Ichigo barely raised his blade in time to block the attack, and it still knocked him back.

"Come on Kurosaki, you can do better than that!" Kisuke berated his student as Ichigo slowly got up from where he had landed.

"Oh, shut up Kisuke…you surprised me," Ichigo jumped at Kisuke.

The hat-wearing shopkeeper almost lazily brought up Benihime to block Ichigo's blow. The contemptuous ease with which Kisuke did it just served to rile up Ichigo even more, along with Shirayuki.

'_Come on Ichigo! Wipe that smirk off his face!'_

_'I know! A little help would be appreciated_!'

'_Okay, then…I'll let you use one of my dances. But only if you can beat Kisuke back on your own for a little while…I'm not sure if it will work_.'

Ichigo nodded, and started slashing at Kisuke as fast as he possibly could. The tactic didn't work though, as Kisuke demonstrated by nearly cutting Ichigo in half with one of Benihime's attacks. The orange haired Reaper jumped back and tried to think up a new strategy before he attempted to attack Kisuke again.

'Ichigo…I can't help you directly. But I can help guide offer you some advice…listen carefully.' Zangetsu chimed in, and Ichigo listened very closely before jumping at Kisuke again.

But this time he didn't get too close, since Shirayuki was longer than Benihime. Ichigo used that extra reach to his advantage and kept Kisuke at a distance where he couldn't fight back. The shopkeeper frowned a little…wondering where Ichigo had gotten the skill boost, since it didn't fit how he had been fighting with Shirayuki. But then he saw Zangetsu on the ground and remembered that Ichigo had two Zanpakutōs in his head. So Kisuke leaped forward and tried to negate Ichigo's reach advantage. But that played into the younger Reapers hands perfectly.

"Nice try Hat and Clogs…Somenomai, Tskuishiro!" Ichigo swung Shirayuki in front of him.

Kisuke wondered what Ichigo was trying to do…but then he felt a cold feeling on his legs and looked down to see a circle of ice forming around him. Kisuke quickly swung Benihime down to break the ice, before he shunpo'ed out of the circle…just as a pillar of pure ice shot up from the ground. Kisuke clapped his hands at Ichigo's display of power, but the younger Reaper wasn't in any situation to notice. That attack had taken a lot out of him. Ichigo then felt a sharp pain in his head…before he collapsed to the ground…

Inside Ichigo's head (Mayuri: YES! AUTHOR: (Puts Hydra in Mayuri's face) Get. The. Fuck. Off. My. COMPUTER!)

What happened…and why do I feel cold? Ichigo thought.

"I don't know Ichigo…we ended up back in your inner world…but I haven't seen this part before and there is no sign of Zangetsu."

"Really…" Ichigo slowly stood up and looked around. He then noticed a mirror on the other side of the room he was in. When Ichigo and Shirayuki walked up to the mirror, they were both shocked at what they saw. It was a window into where Rukia was. They could see her in a small cell with only a chair and small cot for furniture. But what was even worse…is when Ichigo and Shirayuki saw Rukia herself. Ichigo felt his heart break when he did see her.

Rukia looked absolutely horrible. Her eyes were bloodshot and it looked like she had lost weight. The way her shoulders slumped made it clear that the Kuchiki heir was despondent. It didn't take a genius to see that she thought Ichigo had actually died and it was tearing her up inside.

That was confirmed when he heard her thoughts. "I wonder how much longer I will have to wait…Ichigo…if you were still alive could you ever forgive me? I should never have involved you in this. If you can hear me wherever you are…I can only hope you will forgive me once I join you."

Ichigo felt an odd warmth on his cheeks and realized that he was crying. he hadn't cried since his mother died. He turned to Shirayuki and saw the Zanpakutō wasn't in much better shape. In fact, it looked like the woman was barely holding herself together.

"Shirayuki? Can we contact her? I don't want to see her like this because of me."

The Zanpakutō turned to her current wielder, "I really don't know Ichigo…I can't, but you might be able to get through to her."

Ichigo looked at Shirayuki with obvious shock on his features, "What…why would I be able to get through to her when you can't?"

Shirayuki looked at Ichigo with tear filled eyes. "Yes, Ichigo, you can get through to her where I can't. Listen to her Ichigo…she obviously cares a lot about you."

Ichigo hadn't been ignoring Rukia this whole time by any means: he had heard her constant thoughts about apologies to him, how she would have done things differently. He looked at Shirayuki again, before turning to the mirror and sticking his hand on it. At first, Ichigo felt a cold unyielding force stopping his hand, but then he felt himself pulled through the glass. He was then standing in the cell with Rukia, but he could hear Shirayuki's voice in his head, "I don't know how you are doing this Ichigo, but it won't last. I can only keep the connection to you open for 15 minutes at most. Then you have to come back…I don't want even want to _think_ what could happen if you don't."

Ichigo nodded and turned towards Rukia. The first thing he did was clear his throat. That made Rukia spin around and reach for her hip, instinct taking over. But then her bloodshot eyes went wide as saucers and she shakily said, "I…Ichigo? But how…you died? You can't be here…"

Ichigo looked at Rukia, and took in her whole defeated appearance, and despite how it went against his own style, he walked up to the shorter Reaper and enveloped Rukia in a strong hug. He was surprised that he was able to touch her, but he felt Rukia collapse into the hug, and he felt his robe get moist from her tears. He felt a little out of his comfort zone, but he just hugged Rukia tighter and whispered into her ear.

"Shush…it's okay Rukia. I'm here for you now. I didn't die: Shirayuki saved me."

"But I saw you die…you can't be here," Rukia said again.

"I told you Rukia, I didn't die. How could I be here if I did die?"

"Okay Ichigo…wait…oh, my God, I left you there to die! How can you possibly forgive me for getting you in that situation?" Rukia pulled away from Ichigo and looking up at him with a tear streaked face.

Ichigo just shook his head softly. "I don't blame you for anything Rukia. If you hadn't come into my life I wouldn't be able to protect people the way I do."

"But…if I hadn't given you my powers you would have never gotten hurt like that. And I wouldn't be hurting you now,"

Ichigo shook Rukia this time. "Rukia, listen to me for once. I don't blame you for anything. It was my own stupid fault for getting beat up like that. And if you hadn't met me a Hollow would probably have eaten my family and me by now. I needed to meet you Rukia…and I need to have you survive until I can rescue you…the idea of you dying is too horrible to think about."

Rukia looked at Ichigo incredulously. "Why…I ruined your life. I can't believe you don't blame me at all…I was stupid to fall for yo…"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow on hearing that. "What did you say, Rukia?"

Rukia blushed fiercely and shook her head. "Nothing Ichigo…nothing at all…"

Ichigo shook his own head and surprised both of them by leaning down and lightly kissing Rukia. When he pulled away both Reapers were blushing fiercely. "What was that about Ichigo…I didn't know you felt that way."

Ichigo shrugged. "I didn't know you felt that way about me…and to be honest I'm not the type to just assume that type of thing. You do still feel that way, right?"

Rukia nodded happily and hugged Ichigo even tighter. "Please don't leave…I don't know if I could take being separated from you again."

Ichigo sighed heavily, "I'm sorry Rukia…but Shirayuki said I only have 15 minutes here. I'm not even sure how I'm here in the first place. But mark my words; I will get you out of here. I won't let them do anything to you."

The conviction in Ichigo's voice warmed Rukia's heart, and she just held on to him. "Well…I will be waiting, Ichigo."

Said Reaper nodded, as he slowly started to fade away…it turned out Shirayuki's estimate was on the high-end of the scale. Rukia let go and watched it, sad to see him leave, but unbelievably happy that he was still alive and loved her back.

A week later

"Well…it's finally time to go get Rukia back." Ichigo looked out his window, trying to prepare himself for what was, in effect, storming heaven.

'_I know…it will be nice to go back to her. Not that I mind living in your inner world_…'

Ichigo laughed at that. 'I know…it must hurt to see me go visit Rukia every day but you have to stay behind.'

And that was the truth: Ichigo had found the building the 'mirror into Rukia's soul' was located in and was able to use it to visit her once a day. He had definitely taken advantage of being able to expand his relationship with her. The two were so obviously in love that it made it easier for Shirayuki to be left behind, since it warmed her heart to see her master so happy. And she wasn't afraid to say it. "I don't mind, Ichigo…at least you are keeping her happy."

'And I am happy to see you happy Ichigo. I can't stand it when you are sad.'

"Nice to know you two care…seriously though, I don't know how I would cope without you to talk too Shirayuki; same with you, Zangetsu." Ichigo jerked his head aside to miss Kisuke's message ball only a few seconds later.

"WHAT THE HELL?! It looks like someone wrote on my wall in a murder victims blood!"

'_I will never understand that man's sense of humor…your sister is going to kill you._' Shirayuki shuddered at the thought.

'Trust me…I know. Let's get to the shop and teach him a lesson, shall we?'

'Yes, let's do that." Zangetsu nodded in agreement.

Kisuke's shop

Ichigo noticed two very important people at the shop entrance. "Orihime? Chad? You're coming too?"

"Of course they're coming, you can't expect them to stay behind can you Kurosaki?" Ichigo then noticed Uryū in what was possibly the most ridiculous outfit he'd ever seen up to that point. He had no doubt it would get even more ridiculous later on.

"Uryū, you walked here in that? You're more manly than I thought…" Ichigo did not quite believe what he was seeing.

"Hello everyone, please come inside." Kisuke walked out, stopping the argument from forming.

After the group reached the basement Kisuke turned to Ichigo. "Okay, first things first…"

He then knocked the younger Reaper out of his body. Orihime was slightly shocked, for reasons that are better left unsaid. "Wow, there are two Ichigos now!"

Uryū had a more pertinent question, though. "How do you have two Zanpakutōs, Kurosaki? I thought a Soul Reaper could only have one?"

Ichigo turned to Uryū. "Normally, that would be true. One of these is mine…but the other is Rukia's: I still have her powers."

Uryū raised an eyebrow, but was interrupted yet again as Kisuke opened the gate to the Soul Society.

"Okay then…run and don't stop: I can only keep the gate open for four minutes."

The group nodded and turned to the gate.

'Well here we go…are you two ready?'

'Always Ichigo…wherever you go I will follow.'

'Of course I am ready! Let's go get Rukia back!' Shirayuki's answer was much more fierce.

Ichigo nodded fiercely and jumped through the gate, his friends following close by. Their destination: the Soul Society.

A/N: Well there was the chapter. Let me know what you thought of it so I know if I am still doing this well (and sorry for the slightly OOC part in the middle...after all this is Ichi/Ruki from the start...).

Shirayuki: Aww...that was so cute.

Ichigo and Rukia: Oh shut up!

A/N: For once, I agree with the wonder pair...

Nami o Katto: That is weird...and just ask my master if you have questions either about the story or me.

Ron the True Fan AN

(A woman who looks a lot like Alexia Ashford from _RE: Code Veronica_, but with black hair, sighs as she watches the author screw with his tank)

?: Hello, everyone. I am the author's zanpakutō, Sakurahina. As my master is currently busy trying to kill himself with a 10 ton tank by ramming it into the gates, I have little choice but to inform you of news in his stead. After Chapter 6 (7 for the original) the writing style will change to the style he normally uses.

AUTHOR: NOW HEAR THIS! LUDICROUS SPEED!

Sakurahina: Oh, hell.

(The tank fires its' rockets, and we get a tank's-eye view of the whole thing as it does what Spaceball One did: go straight to Ludicrous Speed, plaid and all)

Sakurahina: Fuck me sideways, he actually did it.

(The T-72 hits the gate and keeps going)

Sakurahina: Crazy bastard.


	4. Chapter 3: Welcome to the Soul Society

A/N: Well here is the chapter. I don't have a whole lot to say, since I didn't have much questions about the last chapter...so really all I need to say is please read and review.

Ichigo: Man, I am bored here.

Rukia: Well, I'm more bored...you try being stuck in a prison cell sometime.

Ichigo: No, thank you.

Rukia: Wimp.

Ichigo: Why you little.

A/N: *Sigh* Nami get out here and break this up.

Nami: Of course...night, night Strawberry (whacks Ichigo in the head).

Rukia: I'll do the disclaimer this time...Skywalker does not own Bleach nor does he want to.

A/N: Thank you Rukia.

Rukia: You're welcome...now get me out of here!

Chapter 3: Welcome to the Soul Society

"What the hell is this! Why are the walls closing in!" Ichigo yelled as the group ran through the Dangai.

'They are closing in because it is the way to keep intruders out of the Soul Society! Now keep running before you get us all killed!' Shirayuki yelled Yoruichi pretty much the same thing.

But then all of a sudden, Uryū had his 'stupid cape' get caught in the encroaching wall.

"You idiot, I told you that outfit was stupid!" Ichigo yelled, starting to pull Zangetsu off his back.

"NO! Don't use the Zanpakutō! If it gets caught in the wall you will be pulled in with it!"

Thankfully, Chad solved the problem by pulling Uryū apart from his cape and draping the protesting Quincy over his back. The group didn't once stop running after that…not until the Cleaner started charging them.

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Shirayuki agreed with him completely.

"Just keep running, it's the only way to avoid it!" Yoruichi yelled back.

But the Cleaner just keep catching up and getting closer and closer…until Orihime turned around and put up a shield. It took the brunt of the blow, but the residual energy launched the group out of the portal. When they hit the ground, the only one to remain upright were Orihime and Chad.

"Wow, that is an awesome landing pose Ichigo!" Orihime looking at Ichigo who had landed on his head.

'Very funny Orihime…very funny.' Ichigo shakily got to his feet.

"It was funny though…wasn't it Zangetsu?"

'….' Zangetsu chose not to respond to that….even if he did find it funny too.

"Is this really the Soul Society? It looks so run down." Uryū looked around after putting on his spare cape.

"Yes it is, this part in particular is called the Rukongai. It is where normal Souls go after being Konso'ed by Soul Reapers. It surrounds the Seireitei where the Soul Reapers live."

"You mean over there where the houses look nicer?" Yoruichi chose to answer the local airhead. (AN: Never liked Orihime for some reason or another. Maybe it's the asshole in me, but unlike Ichigo and Co., I would tell her exactly what she could do with her cooking. Seriously, that shit should be outlawed by the Geneva Convention and Orihime _shot_ for making it)

"Yes…that is the Seireitei, but we need to be cautious, we don't know what guards they have in place." Yoruichi said, before Ichigo ran off past the group.

"I'm going to be the first one to get in there! Rukia, here I come!" Ichigo yelled.

"ICHIGO! Don't be a moron!" Shirayuki and Yoruichi both yelled at the teen.

"What…" Ichigo got out before he was nearly crushed by a massive wall that fell out of the sky.

When it had finished falling, the Seireitei was completely encircled by it. And towering over Ichigo was a true giant of a man.

"Ho, ho…it's been a while since someone has tried to crash my gate. Who are you, country boy?"

"I'm Ichigo Kurosaki, who are you?" Outside, Ichigo was cocky, but inside, he was cautious. While his power detection skills had improved, he wasn't sure about the big man's level of power. It did, however, seem to be lower then his.

"The name's Jidanbo, kid, and you aren't getting past me. Though maybe you will put up a good fight before I have to kill you," Jidanbo shot back.

"Who is that, Yoruichi?" Yoruichi answered the local, if not only, Quincy from Karakura.

"Jidanbo, the strongest giant in all of the Soul Society. He was chosen out of all of them to guard this gate."

'There are more than one giant here….how did that happen?' Uryū thought, a little concerned by that, but then he asked out loud, "Is he really that strong?"

"Incredibly strong: he can kill 20 Hollows with one swing of his ax…we need to call Ichigo back and think of a strategy…hey Ichigo!" Yoruichi yelled, before Chad and Orihime ran past the cat.

"Chad, Orihime get back here right now!" Yoruichi yelled, not believing what the teens were doing.

Don't worry Ichigo; I'll help you fight. Orihime thought fiercely, even if she really wouldn't be able to help the Soul Reaper much.

Before the teens could reach Ichigo though, Jidanbo brought his axe down and broke the ground, forming a wall between him and the group.

"Not very polite are you country folks? When you come to the city there are only three rules…wash your hands before every meal, wipe your feet…and only two people to a fight, if you are that eager to fight I will once your friend is dead," Jidanbo said, turning around.

"Orihime…while he isn't looking I'll make a hole in the wall…shoot Tsubaki through it on the count of three," Chad said under his breath.

"Who is Tsubaki?" Jidanbo shocked the two teens, whose main thought was simple: the giant had incredibly good ears.

"Chad, Orihime…don't worry about me, I can handle this on my own." Ichigo's voice came from behind the rocks.

"But Ichigo…you can't fight him alone…" Orihime was interrupted by Uryū pushing past her.

"Kurosaki, you moron, you can't fight him alone!"

"When did you get there, Uryū?" That pissed off the Quincy even more.

"I've been here this whole time, you idiot!"

Meanwhile Chad walked up to the wall. "Are you sure you can take him, Ichigo?"

"Yeah…I'm mostly sure anyway."

"MOSTLY?! When you get out of there, I am going to kill you, Kurosaki!"

"No need to yell, Uryū…and what do you think I was doing that whole time I was training with Urahara?"

"Did he teach you the secrets of combat or something?" Uryū hoped that was the answer…since it would make Ichigo look much less stupid.

"Nope…he didn't teach me anything special. But what I _did_ get out of that was endurance. I can fight much better thanks to that."

'I see…the only real difference between Ichigo and those other Reapers was experience…he already had the power. Add that to the experience to use it well…and Ichigo can beat anyone.' Chad had complete faith in his friend's abilities.

"Are you done talking with them?"

"Not really, but I can't ask you to be patient with me," Ichigo shot back rather snidely.

"That's why I hate country bumpkins…you have no manners!" Jidanbo brought his axe down on Ichigo.

When the smoke cleared, it revealed Ichigo with a released Zangetsu casually held up to block the axe blade. Almost TOO casually.

"Is that all you got, Jidanbo? I thought you would be able to fight better than that!"

"Ha ha! It's been a long time since someone could block my first strike. But no one has ever blocked my second!" Jidanbo brought his blade around for another strike on Ichigo.

This time it knocked some rock away, but not enough for Ichigo's friends to see what was happening. All they knew was that Jidanbo's face had a shocked expression on it.

"How…no one has ever blocked my second strike…" The giant was shocked at Ichigo so causally blocking his attacks.

"Are you done yet?" Ichigo's tone was level and slightly bored. Only slightly, though, as the blade could kill him if he wasn't ready for it. Which he was.

"Not yet…prepare yourself for the Ten Strike Festival!" Jidanbo brought his blade down on Ichigo again repeatedly. "One, two, three, four, five, seven, nine, eleven, twelve, eight….oh man I've never had to count this high before…but I must have hit ten by now!"

With that, the giant brought his ax down on Ichigo one final time, the blast breaking the wall and blinding the other Ryoka. When the smoke cleared, Ichigo still stood, calmly holding Zangetsu beside him like nothing had happened.

"It's my turn now, Jidanbo," Ichigo raised his blade. (AN: OF DOOM! (Echo effect: Of Doom...Of Doom...))

"No wait! You haven't seen my ultimate attack yet!" Jidanbo pulled out another ax.

In response to that, Ichigo pulled out Shirayuki. "Dance, Sode no Shirayuki."

And for the very first time, Ichigo was holding both of his Zanpakutōs released forms at once, the meat cleaver of Zangetsu beside the pure white masterpiece that was Shirayuki. Jidanbo couldn't believe his eyes, but he brought his axes down nonetheless. Ichigo just lazily brought his own blades up in response, the twin Zanpakutō shattering the gatekeeper's ax blades.

Jidanbo fell to the ground, leaving Ichigo still standing and re-sealing and sheathing his blades.

'_That was easier than I thought it would be…I've heard of Jidanbo before and the rumors made him out to be stronger than he actually is_.'

'That, or I'm stronger then he is.'

'I_ have to agree with her, Ichigo: that was too easy... But you do bring up a good point_.'

"Wow Ichigo…that was amazing!" Orihime ran up with Chad, leaving a bemused and very confused Uryū and Yoruichi behind.

"Really…it wasn't that hard, you know." Ichigo eyed the giant and he scowled a little as he saw Jidanbo getting back to his feet.

"Phew…you surprised me there, kid. I fell on my back. What, did you think you knocked me out? Don't get cocky, all I need is one more blow with my axes and I will…wait…my axes!" Jidanbo noticed his broken weapons and starting crying.

Ichigo felt a little sorry for the giant and walked up to him, "Oh, come on, man, don't cry. I'm sorry I had to break your axes…I probably should have left _one_ intact…"

Jidanbo looked up with tear filled eyes to Ichigo. "You are so nice…you have beaten me as a warrior and a man. I am in your debt, Ichigo Kurosaki. I will open the gate for you now."

"Really, but isn't that against the rules?"

"Yes, but you beat me, so as a gatekeeper it is only to be expected that I open the gate for you," Jidanbo opened the gate, only to stop and start stuttering in fear, after his arm was blasted off.

"What is it big guy? Is there someone on the other side who did that?" Ichigo angrily ran past Jidanbo.

Ichigo saw a man in a white Haori walking up, obviously terrifying Jidanbo.

"Who is that…and why is he scaring Jidanbo so bad…and why did he cut his arm off?"

_'That is Gin Ichimaru…the Captain of Squad 3. My mistress has always felt horrible around that man…he seemed to be like a snake trying to suffocate her. I am itching to fight him, honestly, to make up for Rukia's fears_.' Shirayuki had real venom in her voice for the first time since Ichigo had started talking to her…and it scared him a little…even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Gin Ichimaru…the Captain of Squad 3."

"Now now, what do we have here? A gatekeeper isn't supposed to open a gate." Gin walked up to the bleeding giant and the orange haired Reaper.

"I was defeated, it is expected of a gatekeeper to open the gate in that case." Jidanbo shakily held up the gate with one arm somehow.

"Gin Ichimaru…Ichigo, get out of there! You can't fight him!"

"A gatekeeper who loses is expected to die in the fight." Gin ignored Yoruichi and raised his Zanpakutō, only for Ichigo to jump forward and attack him with Zangetsu.

"Hey, you pompous idiot! What gives you the right to attack a defenseless giant like that!" Ichigo jumped back slightly after his attack.

"Ichigo, get out of there! He is too strong for you!"

'Ichigo…Ichigo Kurosaki…orange hair, a blade as tall as he is…yes, it is him' Gin turned around.

"Come on, Yoruichi, I can take him! And where are you going you coward? Are you going to throw that short sword at me?"

"Short sword? No, this is my Zanpakutō, and I'm not going to throw it at you. Spear him, Shinso." Gin's blade extended and stuck Ichigo, who just barely raised Zangetsu in time to take the hit, but still knocking both him and Jidanbo away from the gate, letting it fall back down.

"Bye-bye." Gin cheerfully waved at the group as the gate fell.

"Ichigo!" the group ran to see if their friend was okay.

"OW!" Ichigo jumped up, shocking his friends.

"Are you okay Ichigo?" He simply waved Orihime off.

"Yeah I'm fine, just heal Jidanbo, he needs it more." Ichigo looked at the hole in Zangetsu's blade.

'_Man that hurt, Ichigo…don't try that again. And trust me, that hurt Zangetsu more than it hurt you_.'

'Really…I'm sorry, Zangetsu.'

'_Don't worry about it Ichigo, it is my job to protect you, after all_.'

Ichigo nodded absently, before seeing some souls walking up to them.

"Oh boy…this could be a problem if they want to fight," Ichigo brought up the sealed Shirayuki to give the damaged Zangetsu a break.

"Thank you for helping Jidanbo!" Most of the Souls bowed toward the Substitute Shinigami.

"Huh…" The Ryoka group did not believe what they were hearing.

Squad 6 Barracks

"Come to take me to my new cell Renji?" Rukia's tone was light as she saw the redhead walking into her cell.

"Yes, you are to be taken to the Repentance Cell to wait for your execution in 14 days." Renji wondered what the hell had gotten into Rukia.

He could still remember the first time he had visited her and how broken she had been because of the carrot-top's death. But every other time he had visited his friend since, Rukia had been in a remarkably good mood. Renji wasn't sure what had gotten into her-it scared the SHIT out of him-but seeing her so happy made him happy, and hope that they could still overturn the ruling somehow.

"Okay then, lead the way, Renji." Rukia knew that Ichigo would be on his way to rescue her…he had told her himself that he was coming soon.

Rukia followed Renji to the tower, noticing that the Seireitei was unusually busy, but thinking nothing off it, after all she hadn't seen the main part of it for months. Once they reached the cell, Rukia had the bonds on her arms taken off and she prepared to be left alone again. But Renji grabbed her arm and whispered in the young Kuchiki's ear. "I have some news for you, Rukia: a group of Ryoka were sighted in west Rukongai. One of them had orange hair and a sword as long as he is tall."

Rukia spun around, looking extremely shocked…even if she wasn't. 'About damn time!' This time, the shock was real, as there was another voice in her head. And it wasn't Sode no Shirayuki. (Ron AN: I'll give you three guesses on who THAT was)

Rukongai

"We can't thank you enough for saving Jidanbo. No Soul Reaper would have stood up to Ichimaru like that."

"You're welcome…I just couldn't leave him there." The 6 Ryoka walked into the building.

"So elder, can you tell me where Kukaku Shiba is living right now?" This prompted Shirayuki to yell in Ichigo's head.

'_Kukaku…SHIBA! Ichigo we have to find this person_!'

'Whoa what was that about Shirayuki? What is so important about this Shiba person?' Ichigo winced slightly about the noise echoing in his head.

'S_hiba is the last name of Rukia's former Lieutenant…and he looked just like you, only with shorter black hair. That must be one of his relatives…we need to talk to them. They might be willing to help.'_ Shirayuki didn't know what exactly the Shibas felt about Rukia…even if she worried somewhat about it she thought they would help in Kaien's name if nothing else.

"Really…okay then, I'll make sure we find them." Ichigo had barely reassured the sword spirit just as a large man battered the door down.

A/N: Phew...I think that center part was the single longest section I have ever written (without breaking it up). Hopefully I can have another chapter out soon, depends on reviews since that is where I get my inspiration from.

Ichigo: Ow my head...where is that idiot, I'm going to kill him (looks around and only see's Rukia filing her nails).

Rukia: Oh really, good luck catching him, he left as soon as you started moving.

Ichigo: DARN IT!

A/N from secret building: Well that was fun, please review so I know how the chapter worked.

Kenpachi: FIGHT ME!

A/N: HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET HERE! (sounds of swords clashing can be heard in the distance).

Byakuya: So uncivilized (goes back to drinking his tea as screams come from the distance).

Ron the True Fan AN

(The Author appears in a normal shinigami uniform, only instead of a sword, his zanpakutō is an ax)

AUTHOR: I'd be wearing my custom uniform if that asshole Yamamoto would let me. I think he's got something against kilts.

ICHIGO: You wear a Scottish man-skirt?

AUTHOR: You had better take that back, Kurosaki.

ICHIGO: Or what?

AUTHOR: (Pulls out ax) Or I go Shikai on your ass.

ICHIGO: Like that'll hurt.

AUTHOR: Quake, Sakurahina!

(The ax turns into a simple warhammer, then he hits the ground with it, causing a 11.5 quake on the Richter Scale, destroying most of the surrounding area)

ICHIGO: HOLY FUCK!

AUTHOR: I don't do subtle. My Bankai, on the other hand...

(Sakurahina materializes)

SAKURAHINA: Is there a reason for this, or are you just typing for the hell of it?

AUTHOR: There is, and I was getting to it before Kurosaki called my kilt a man-skirt. Logically, once Ichigo gets Bankai with Zangetsu, he'll get it with Sode no Shirayuki.

SAKURAHINA: And since Rukia hasn't gotten Bankai in the series-anime, manga or otherwise-

AUTHOR: Now you see the problem. I don't like completely and totally screwing with the core of what I write unless I REALLY need to.

ICHIGO: Make it up.

AUTHOR: I don't want to. I might HAVE to, though. Oh, fuck it: it went AU from the prologue, anyways. I'll just make it like Tensa Zangetsu for both, only Shirayuki keeps the ribbon and can make the dances go faster. MUCH faster.

ICHIGO: Like you and that fucking tank?

AUTHOR: Yes. And once YOU get it, SHE gets it. Same thing for your Hollow abilities.

ICHIGO: I thought the original author was against that.

AUTHOR: I didn't take up the challenge; I just adopted the story, so I'm taking liberties with what I can do, so anything can and probably WILL happen.

ICHIGO: In plain English? (or Japanese; depends on the reader)

AUTHOR: My version, my rules. Besides, I can imagine her Inner Hollow just breaking free during her execution and kicking everyone's ass before you show up.

ICHIGO:...Even Yamamoto?

AUTHOR: _Especially_ Yamamoto.

(Rukia walks in)

RUKIA: I'm sold.

AUTHOR: As you might had noticed, I have also done a few modifications to the chapter, including adding extra lines and deleting a small number of them. Enjoy! If not, then get the hell out!

(Vladimir Farnsworth from _Trenched/Iron Brigade_ pops out of nowhere)

VLAD: And if you don't, then I will send my glorious Monovisions after you!

AUTHOR: Farnsworth, get the hell out of my story.


	5. Chapter 4: Shiba Madness

A/N: Well here is the next chapter. Not a whole lot to say, like normal, other than please read and review.

Ichigo: About time you got back here.

A/N: Oh shut up...that hurt...I don't even know how Kenpachi found me.

Ichigo: Well now you feel my pain.

Rukia: Oh give him a break we need him writing.

A/N: Yeah, so shut up or you will have to go night night again.

Nami: *raises fists*

Ichigo: Oh fine...and Skywalker doesn't own Bleach

Chapter 4: Shiba Madness

"Whoa Bonnie…shouldn't have thrown me through the door," the man said, obviously ignoring Ichigo and co, before turning to the elder, "Hey old man, why'd you have the door shut?"

"Ganju, I have visitors! Be more polite."

"Visitors? Hey, what is a Soul Reaper doing here?" 'Ganju' walked up to the orange haired Reaper, only to get a mighty fist in his face.

"What is with you? Do you just barge in and examine everyone you see?" Ichigo yelled, his fist stinging slightly from punching Ganju.

'Hmm…Ganju…why does that name sound familiar? Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.'

'Now's not the time, Shirayuki. We can figure it out later," Ganju got back on his feet.

"Why the heck did you punch me Soul Reaper? Did I get you angry?" Ganju's tone was mocking, although it wasn't very effective on Ichigo.

"Keep it up ugly. I would love to see you fight me." Ichigo taunted himself.

"UGLY! Why you little twerp!" Ganju yelled, launching at Ichigo and knocking the Reaper out the door.

"Ichigo you idiot! Don't waste time with a stupid fight!" Yoruichi yelled at the teen.

"Can it Yoruichi, this guy is just asking to get beaten up," Ichigo said, raising his fists at Ganju.

"Elder why aren't you doing anything to stop this?" The old man just sipped his tea.

"Why bother? Ganju won't listen to me he hates Soul Reapers. And I'm sure your about to get a list of his 'titles'."

"Wha?" Uryū barely got that out before Ganju started talking.

"You messed with the wrong person, Soul Reaper! I am West Rukon's self-proclaimed strongest man, self-proclaimed handsomest man, and most importantly, self-proclaimed top Soul Reaper hater!" Ganju struck a pose.

'All self-proclaimed!'

"Heh…keep your little titles Ganju; I'll just beat them out of you!"

"Oh really, try and fight me without a Zanpakutō, Carrot-top!" Ganju said grabbing his own blade.

"Ichigo catch!" Chad tossed Zangetsu to Ichigo…without the sheath.

"Thanks, Chad…but for the love of God keep the sheath on it next time! You almost took my head off!" Ichigo swung Zangetsu down to release the blade, while Shirayuki was laughing her head off at him.

"Oh that was brilliant! The look on your face!' the female spirit said, laughing hysterically at Ichigo.

'Ha, ha, laugh it up Shirayuki…just remember your head is on the line here too!" Ichigo blocked Ganju's rather pathetic attack. (AN: Remember, Ichigo is a shinigami. A shinigami that could, if need be, kill fucking Captain-General Yamamoto. It takes Arrancar and Aizen to pose a threat to Ichigo, but he doesn't want to really kill Ganju, so the power advantage is removed. Barely)

"That's a big blade you got there, Reaper. But don't think that gives you an advantage!" Ganju rubbed his foot in a circle on the ground, and pushed Zangetsu down into the newly formed sand.

Ichigo jumped back, narrowly avoiding getting bisected by Ganju's swinging blade, and then kicked the cocky spirit in the face.

"Nice try, punk; don't think you can beat me just from some cheap trick."

"How dare you hit my ruggedly handsome face again! It's on now Soul Reaper!" Ganju ran at Ichigo, trying to punch the Reaper in his face.

Ichigo just stepped to the side though, punching Ganju in the face. Ganju retaliated by punching Ichigo back, and the two continued to exchange blows for a while, although Ichigo did have a slight advantage in having to deal with his idiot of a father on a daily basis. Once they were both fairly well covered in bruises one of Ganju's men yelled at him "It's nine, boss! We need to head back!"

"Darn it, Bonnie get over here!"

"Bonnie?" Ichigo echoed, as Ganju's pig jumped over his head, brushing on his spiky orange hair.

"Don't think this is over, Soul Reaper! I'll be back in the morning to finish kicking your behind!" Ganju's group rode into the distance on the warthog. (AN: (RvB Warthog tune starts playing) Wrong Warthog!)

"Bring it pig-straddler! I'll beat you any day of the week!"

The next day

"So what do you think this Kukaku person looks like?"

"I think that Kukaku will be some sort of samurai warrior." Uryū envisioned a stereotypical samurai.

"I figure that he is some sort of wise monk."

"I know!" Orihime started drawing in the sand.

Chad and Uryū looked at the finished product and both sweat-dropped. Orihime had somehow taken their ideas and made a…cat, shogun, monk…thing. (AN: Oh, yes, THIS is why I hate Orihime: she's stupid, just my other cat. In case you're wondering, I have two cats: one black w that looks a lot like Yoruichi's cat form only with green eyes and with a white patch under her front legs and one golden-brown Tomcat. I'm not sure if that's a sign that I'd adopt this or not)

"Somehow I doubt Kukaku looks like that, Orihime."

"Really…maybe if I make the tail smaller…" Orihime modified her drawing while Uryū went to the hut to grab Ichigo.

"Hey Ichigo…come out now, we need to go to find Kukaku." Uryū looked at the stubborn Reaper

"No, I'm not leaving until that punk comes back. I have a score to settle with him," Ichigo stubbornly replied.

"Stop being so stubborn Kurosaki! Who cares…what…that idiot…thinks!" Uryū tried to pull Ichigo out the door.

"I can't leave! He'll think I'm a coward!"

"Stop being an idiot! You need to help us!"

"NO!" Ichigo yelled, before Yoruichi slashed his face, at which point…"OW!"

"Stop being an idiot Ichigo, are you forgetting why we are here, Rukia's life depends on us," Yoruichi looking down on a bleeding Ichigo.

"Fine then, let's get moving," Ichigo said.

'About time Ichigo, I was wondering if I would have to step in and 'convince' you myself. Though I approve of Yoruichi's methods, that worked remarkably well.' Shirayuki laughed at Ichigo's clawed face.

"Very funny…this hurts more than you think," Ichigo shot back, picking up both his Zanpakutōs.

A while later~

"Okay…I left just for us to get lost? How does that work, and do you need me to take the map, Uryū?" Ichigo rubbed his still sore face.

"Shut it Kurosaki, I am using the map the elder gave us! If you really think you would do better I dare you to try!" Uryū was extremely annoyed with Ichigo by first refusing to leave Rukongai to fight that idiot Ganju and now questioning his sense of direction. (AN: This is Kukaku Shiba's home we're talking about. Even the god of trackers would have a hard time finding it)

"Jeez, no need to be so snappy, Uryū."

"Both of you calm down, we are going in the right direction. And trust me, you will know Kukaku's house when you see it," Yoruichi walked past the feuding teens.

"Really, is it that house?" Orihime pointed to a house in the distance.

"Please tell me it isn't!" Ichigo forgot his feud with Uryū at the sight of the strange house.

"I can't believe I agree with Kurosaki, but I do…that can't be the house!" Uryū actually agreed with the Substitute Reaper, which was a sign of the apocalypse if there ever was one.

The house they were looking at was a normal sized building, but it was what surrounded it that was odd. It had two arms holding up a banner that proudly said, 'Kukaku Shiba'. Behind it was a truly massive stack, which was sealed up at the top for some reason.

"Yep, that is the place. Very distinctive isn't it?" Yoruichi asked.

'I would go with horror show…Kaien would never have allowed a house like that…' Shirayuki shuddered somewhat at what she saw through Ichigo's eyes.

'I can agree with that…and I'm guessing that 'Kaien' is Rukia's former Lieutenant?'

"Yes, we can talk more about that some other time, the rest of the group is heading for the house.'

'I can't believe I am heading into this house…I hope no one see's me doing this…'

Uryū was having very similar thoughts, and voiced them. "You better not tell anyone about this, Kurosaki."

"Wasn't going to, Uryū…and who would I tell anyway?"

"Good point…let's just get this over with," Both Uryū and Ichigo very reluctantly walked up to the house.

After a little altercation with a couple 'gatekeepers' the group entered the house, further bemusing Ichigo since they headed straight down, leaving the teen with no idea how they got to the upper floor. But he was about to get an even greater shock.

"Hey Yoruichi, long time no see!" A women on a bunch of cushions waved at the cat.

"Nice to see you too, Kukaku."

"KUKKAKU IS A WOMEN?!" Ichigo and Uryū was very shocked at this simple fact, although it should have been plainly obvious, as Kukaku was, indeed, a woman's name. (AN: 'Ko' is normally used in the ends of Japanese female names, and I'm assuming the same with 'Ku'. If not, simply tell me)

"Who are the twerps? Did you pick up some strays, Yoruichi?" Kukaku was curious about the group, especially what looked like a clone of her older brother.

"No, I'll explain once those two calm down some."

'Yeah, Ichigo, calm down. I'll admit that I forgot Kukaku was a women, but Rukia avoided the Shiba's for years, and shut her self off from everything for so long that I forgot a lot of things from that time. So get a hold of yourself and sit down.'

"Yes ma'am…" Ichigo was still too much in a state of shock to argue with his new girlfriend's sword spirit.

A few minutes later

"That's quite some story Yoruichi. So let me get this straight…you want me to help these kids rescue Rukia Kuchiki?"

"Yes I do Kukaku; there is no other way to get in the Sereitai in time." Kukaku nodded, then looked at Sode no Shirayuki.

"I know that old friend. Hey carrot-top, toss me that smaller Zanpakutō."

After getting a quick look (plus claw's) from Yoruichi, Ichigo tossed over Shirayuki, although if he didn't get it back, there would be blood, and nothing would stop him. (AN: What COULD?)

"Yep…I thought I recognized this blade. How did you come across that blade that killed my brother Kaien?" Kukaku wanted the answer to that question, as a clone of Kaien with the same sword that killed him was too suspicious in anyone's eyes.

The jaws of everyone in the room (sans Yoruichi) dropped at that statement.

"But…that is Rukia's Zanpakutō! Why would she kill her own Lieutenant?!" Ichigo had a hard time believing what this woman was saying.

"Why don't you ask the blade yourself? I'm assuming you can talk to it right?"

"Shirayuki is a 'her' not an 'it' and yes I can talk to her," Ichigo turned to his inner world, wanting an answer.

'Well Shirayuki, now would be the time to tell me the truth. Is she lying or did you just not tell me?' Zangetsu more or less asked the same question.

Shirayuki sighed heavily before answering the pair. 'I told you that Rukia sealed herself off, right? That is because a Hollow possessed Kaien, and to save him she had to kill him. It really isn't my place to say this, but Kaien was her first love and it killed Rukia inside to kill him. I have never seen her so depressed, and her inner world in such a wreck. To put it in perspective, think how she was before you found the mirror that is what she was like. I didn't tell you since I figured Rukia would herself some day. Please, don't hate her for this…she truly does love you Ichigo and it would destroy her completely if you hated her.'

'You should know me better than that Shirayuki. It feels odd and awkward to say it but I love her too. I couldn't hate her even if I tried. Still, Rukia should have told me this at some point, I could have helped her through things.'

'Let's try not to keep anymore secrets okay Shirayuki. I don't like lying to Ichigo.'

"Don't worry, I won't, it's nice to see you two be so accepting," Shirayuki rubbed a tear from her blue eyes.

"Hey, kid? Did she confirm what I told you?"

"Yes she did. And all I have to say is, it wasn't Rukia's fault. If your brother was turning into a Hollow Rukia couldn't have just left him like that," Ichigo actually dared Kukaku to disagree with him.

Kukaku knew better then to argue with him, then walked over to a door. "Oh, I know that: I forgave her years ago…if she will actually come and apologize. So, you need to get her out of there, for Kaien's sake. Take this blade back while I get my other brother." She tossed him the female zanpakutō.

"Other brother?" Ichigo caught Shirayuki's blade with ease.

"Yeah, he's a lot of trouble, but I think he will help," Kukaku pulled a door open.

"Hello, my name is Ganju Shiba." Ganju did not noticed Ichigo until he looked up.

"YOU!" The two men pointed at one another.

"You two have already met?" Kukaku was curious, but had the feeling she didn't want to know.

Ichigo and Ganju ignored her and jumped at each other, getting into a fierce fight. After a while, one of them (Ganju, judging from the footwear) made the mistake of stepping on Kukaku's pipe…leading the older Shiba to explode into a fiery rage, wrecking the room…and scorching Ichigo and Ganju.

"I don't care what happened between you two…but you are not fighting in this house! Got it?"

"But sis…" Kukaku kicked Ganju in the head.

Ichigo crawled over to Ganju after Kukaku left. "Your sister is scary."

"I know," Ganju was terrified, but proud, judging from the look on his face.

A few minutes later

"How do you keep this place lit?" As the group walked down a hallway Uryū asked this simple question.

Kukaku's answer came only seconds later. "We have weed's growing along the walls to provide light." "Does this weed only grow in the Soul Society?"

"Well we reached our destination," Kukaku ignored Uryū and waved Ganju forward to open a door.

After the door was opened they found themselves on a platform beneath the smoke stack. And soon that platform was rising up to the surface, revealing what the stack really was.

"You all are looking at my Flower Crane Cannon. And I am Kukaku Shiba, fireworks extraordinaire!"

A/N: Well there was the chapter. Please let me know what you thought about it. And I'm sorry if Strawberry is being a little OOC, it is difficult to write Ichi/Ruki this early and keep them both in character.

Ichigo: IT IS NOT STRAWBERRY!

Rukia: Ow...no need to yell so loud.

A/N: I have to agree with her there, and get over yourself already.

Ichigo: Why you little...

A/N: Nami...

Nami: Night night Strawberry.

*sound of Ichigo hitting the floor*

Ron the True Fan AN

AUTHOR: Behold my Author Powers as I turn the Flower Crane Cannon into a railgun!

(The earth shakes as reality shifts to the Author's will)

ICHIGO: Is there a reason you're doing this, besides just screwing around?

AUTHOR: I'm killing Farnsworth. That asshole needs to learn not to get in a story without the writer's permission! That, and thinking of how your Hollow abilities will change having Sode no Shirayuki in your mind.

ICHIGO: Having both swords, what else?

AUTHOR: Fool! With her in your head, you have most of Rukia's abilities in a bigger package!

RUKIA: Did you just call me short?

AUTHOR: Bigger as in more powerful, Kuchiki. It's like sending thousands of B-52s to do a bombing run on Berlin during World War II! The B-52 has at least 10 times the warload of a B-17!

RUKIA: And I'm a B-17?

AUTHOR: (Laughs) No! At best, you're an A-1 Skyraider!

RUKIA: Asshole!

AUTHOR: Just because I compared you to an A-1 doesn't mean you're weak. The B-52 can carry a fuckton of bombs and missiles to flatten whatever gets in the way, but it's not as accurate as most people would like. You want accuracy? Talk to the A-1 pilots. You'll eventually get upgraded to a F-105D Thunderchief, which has a enough power and is very accurate, if you've got the right pilot. Ichigo will get turned into an F-16XL Falcon or F-15E Strike Eagle if he plays his cards right.

RUKIA:...You know a lot about warfare nowadays.

AUTHOR: I know more then most people, and that's an advantage in writing stories like I do.

ICHIGO: Or a disadvantage, as a few of your readers have told you.

AUTHOR: They don't need to review. If they don't like it, they simply can check on the back button. I do. Not sure what that says about me, though.


	6. Chap5: I'm-a Firing My Huge-Ass Cannon!

A/N: Well here is the next chapter. I don't have time to say more than just please R&R.

Ichigo: Lazy

AN: I really don't have time you know.

Rukia: Lazy

AN: Whatever.

Nami: Skywalker does not own Bleach, nor does he want to.

Chapter 5: I'm-a Firing My Huge-Ass Cannon!

The group looked at Kukaku like she was crazy. Admittedly, she was less than completely sane, so they weren't far off.

"And how does being a fireworks expert help us any? We thought you had a secret way into the Seireitei or something!"

Kukaku just glared at the Kaien clone. "I was about to explain that, carrot-top. The reason I am showing you all the Flower-Crane Cannon is because we are going to shoot you over the Seireitei's walls with it."

The group's jaws dropped even further on that, with Uryū being the one to yell this time. "ARE YOU INSANE! Let's leave; I'm sure we can find a safer way in than that…"

He was cut off from finishing though, as Kukaku threw a large blue ball and nailed the young Quincy's head. Ichigo caught the ball, looking at it curiously before Kukaku started talking again.

"There is no other way to get in. The Sekki-Sekki rock that the walls are made out of cancels out reiatsu, so any spirit attacks are useless. In addition to that, it creates a 360-degree barrier around the Seireitei, making it impossible to climb over the walls, or dig under them. Unless, of course, you use that ball in your hands, which can be used to form a shield to punch through the barrier," The elder Shiba smirked at that.

"But how do you use this thing? We can't just climb into that cannon without knowing that." Orihime rubbed Uryū's head to see if he was bleeding.

"I was just about to get to that part…all you have to do is focus your reiatsu into it like you do with kido. You can do kido, right?"

Ichigo just looked at her like she was crazy. (See first two sentences) "Uh…how exactly do you do that?"

Kukaku just sighed heavily before turning to Yoruichi, "Where did you find this kid? How can a Soul Reaper not know how to do kido?"

"He's not your average Soul Reaper…sadly not being able to do kido is a side effect of that."

"Oh, well, everyone head down to the dojo and try out the shield. Dinner will be ready soon, so make the time count," Kukaku kicked Ganju out the door before leaving herself.

Lower room

"Wow Orihime, that is great!" Uryū looked on as the light-haired girl made a perfect sphere.

"Thanks, Uryū. it's your turn now." Orihime handed over the blue ball.

The Quincy calmly took the ball from Orihime and pumped his own power into the thing, forming an oddly angled shield, looking more like an hourglass than a sphere. Uryū frowned slightly, before handing it to Chad, who created an unstable but powerful sphere. But then they handed it to Ichigo…who couldn't even create a shield. He just got wisps of fog for his trouble, which naturally frustrated the Reaper.

"God, this thing is stupid!" Ichigo tossed the ball only for it to ricochet back into his face.

"Uh, boss dinner is ready,"

"Hey, dinner is ready! Go eat while you have the chance," This prompted the majority of the group to leave. But Ichigo just stayed in the room, the ball back in his hands and a determined scowl on his face.

"Ichigo? Aren't you coming too?"

"No, not yet. Don't worry, just go on ahead and eat, Orihime." Uryū nodded his head and pulling Orihime along with him.

After everyone had left (except Ganju) Ichigo proceeded to try and make the shield again, but he just couldn't make one. That is until Shirayuki spoke up.

'_Oh, come on, Ichigo, this is just _pathetic._ I knew you were bad at controlling your reiatsu, but this is very simple stuff here. Let me help you…just focus your power on a small circle in your mind. That is very simple practice for Kido, and something that lower-level Soul Reapers learn early on. If you can't do that you are a total failure, by the way_." the female Zanpakutō laughed slightly at Ichigo's scowl.

'Very funny, Shirayuki…laugh at the guy who has never learned this stuff.' Ichigo took the advice that Rukia's blade had given him only seconds after rebuking her, however. By taking that advice, the orange-haired Reaper finally succeeded in making the shield. Ganju clapped from his corner, glad that he could finally go get something to eat, but all of a sudden, a crack formed on the shield before it blew up.

"What was that Kurosaki? You have to stay focused or the shield will blow up!" Kukaku looked into the blast zone in her dojo that had Ichigo as the epicenter.

"I don't know, I just lost focus all of a sudden." That was a lie.

The reason he had lost focus was quite simple actually…he couldn't contact _or_ feel Rukia. It was like she had just vanished…and it hurt him badly to feel that. But he didn't think on it long, since Ichigo collapsed to the floor, grabbing Yoruichi's tail, from exhaustion.

The next day

"What happened? And where is everyone?" Ichigo awoke in the same room, then noticed Ganju reading a small booklet.

"How should I know? You just passed out last night. Now leave me alone, I have work to do," Ganju went back to reading his booklet.

"Jeez, no need to be so snappy about it. What are you doing anyway? You're not coming."

"I don't have to tell you, now go find your friends before I beat you up again!"

"Why you little…" Before he could begin beating the living shit out of Ganju, however, Orihime came into the room and dragged Ichigo off.

Once the two teens reached the cannon, Yoruichi started talking, "About time you got up Ichigo, now we can start planning. Once we are all in the cannon we need to combine our powers to make a stronger shield."

Ichigo leaned over toward Uryū. "What happened to Yoruichi?"

"You don't remember? When you passed out last night you grabbed his tail and by the time we got your hand off that is what happened."

Ichigo sweat-dropped before being brought back to attention by Kukaku.

"Are you all here now? Well, get into the cannon then…wait, where's Ganju?"

"He was downstairs reading something." Then the younger Shiba came running into the room in a strange outfit.

"Don't worry, your hero has arrived!"

Ichigo was tempted to start laughing his ass off. The two sword spirits were tempted, as well. Only Zangetsu stopped himself from laughing; Shirayuki's laughter filled Ichigo's inner world like water in a bucket.

"What's with the clothes, Ganju? I thought Uryū over there had the rights to stupid outfits!" Ichigo hooked a thumb at the irate Quincy.

_'I agree with you there, Ichigo. Kaien wouldn't be caught dead dressed like that_!' Shirayuki barely held in her laughter as she spoke before laughing all-out again.

_**"HEY!"**_

"_This is my battle outfit, thank you_!"

"**And my outfit isn't stupid**!"

"Jeez, calm down you two," Ichigo walked up to the cannon, passing Yoruichi.

"I am calm Kurosaki, and besides, shouldn't we ask Yoruichi if he can make a shield?"

"What a stupid question. Of course I can do it. Just hand the ball over," Yoruichi jumped onto the ball and forming a perfect shield right away, leaving Ichigo in a depressed ball. "Upset that I could do this so easily eh? Don't be a baby."

'_Wow Ichigo, you are depressed by that…and here I thought you were tougher than that_.' Shirayuki had a grin on her face.

Ichigo just ignored her and walked into the cannon, taking position with the rest of the group. He was wondering why Ganju came along, but kept quiet about that. So thus, they sat in the cannon not able to hear what Kukaku was saying on the outside, but able to feel heat from the outside. "FORM THE SHIELD!"

The group quickly complied, just in time to avoid being blasted apart by the explosion. They then started on the flight to the Seireitei and a meeting with destiny.

Rukia's Cell

'I wonder why Ichigo hasn't visited in a while…maybe it's the Sekki-Sekki?' Rukia mused sadly from her small window. She had only been in the cell for a short time, but that was too much time for her. To be honest she had gotten used to Ichigo visiting her, even if the way he did was still odd. He had even gone through the trouble of giving her messages from Sode no Shirayuki when he came, and the way those two were bonding was enough to make her happy. But she felt weak all the same for getting used to Ichigo visiting, after all, he shouldn't have been able to by all normal rights.

So thus she was sitting by her window, watching the sky and wondering what had happened to Ichigo when she really should have been sleeping. But she was soon distracted as a massive light blasted the sky; something very wrong was going on.

'What is that light? Did something hit the shield?' The young Kuchiki heir looked at the barrier as it started to buckle. 'Looks like the King's gotten his ass in gear! Fucking A!' That voice was becoming more and more vocal. And it sounded a LOT like her own voice.

A couple minutes earlier

"WILL YOU SHUT UP KUROSAKI!" Ganju he tried to concentrate on his Kido.

"I'm not the one yelling!" Ichigo was getting frustrated with the younger Shiba.

"Will you both shut up, we need to concentrate here!" Uryū tried to stop the bickering pair.

"Shut up Uryū!" The two failed to notice how close they were to the shield until Orihime cried out.

They then turned, only to see the Soul Reaper stronghold growing steadily larger beneath them.

"Push all your energy into the shield now, you fools! We need to punch through!"

The group complied with Yoruichi's order, and their shield bubble hit the larger one of the Seireitei. The two shields pushed against each other, the Ryoka group pushing all of their not unsubstantial power into punching through. Below them, dozens of Soul Reapers ran around, not able to believe their eyes. But with a final burst of light, the smaller shield broke through, but the group was held in the air by the wreckage of the cannonball.

"Everyone get ready! The remains of the cannonball are holding us up right now, but as soon as it disappears we will be thrown apart!"

The group looked between themselves, but soon felt a whirlpool of reiatsu start to pull them apart. Uryū was the first to be thrown out, with Chad jumping out himself in order to throw the Quincy back in.

"CHAD!"

"Don't worry about him, he will be okay. Just concentrate on reaching the others!"

Ichigo nodded and pulled Ganju along with him as he headed for Orihime and Uryū. The two teens reached their hands towards each other, but they were blown apart by a fierce explosion; Yoruichi also getting separated from the group by the blast.

Ichigo and Ganju plummeted towards the ground, with the Shiba man moving in front and making a motion in the air. "Turn into sand! SEPPA!"

The result of that was the two men landing in a crater made of sand rather then concrete. It lessened the impact, but left them both breathing sand.

"Who would have thought, your crazy spell helped for once." Ichigo looked at a choking Ganju. "Hey I'm talking to you!"

"Why the heck did you kick me! I just saved your life here!"

"Oh ho, look here, we found a couple of Ryoka. I knew it was a good idea to sneak off." It was a male voice that belonged to neither of the two men.

"Yeah, but they are bickering in such an unsightly manor, it is so ugly," Another voice, again male, but more feminine then Ichigo was liking.

"Who's there?"

The answer to Ichigo's question were a pair of Soul Reapers jumping down from a building…both of them obviously looking for a fight…

Ichigo: Jeez that was short...

Rukia: I agree.

AN: Very funny, hopefully I can update sooner this time.

Ron the True Fan AN

AUTHOR: (Cleaning an old double-barreled flintlock pistol with a Halo 3 Spiker-style blade on the underside of the gun, still wearing a normal shinigami uniform) If you're wondering why these keep showing up, it's because I plan on sending myself into the _Bleach_ universe around the same timeframe in another story I plan to write. And this time, I ain't making my character (or the actual me, in this case) almighty. Spending time around Ichigo will make me powerful, yes, but not on the level of Ichigo himself. Three-quarters at most, two-thirds at least. As for the pistol?

(Fires it, but instead of a lead ball going at .5 mach, it's a kido spell: Number 33, to be exact)

AUTHOR: I have the same control issue as Ichigo, but I use a medium to get around the lack of kido usage. I can even use it to parry.

(Camera pans to see an unconscious Kenpatchi Zaraki, who is missing 80% of his uniform and his sword)

AUTHOR: Zaraki was extremely good at being my test subject. If it survived him, it'll survive anything. As for the deadweight known as Orihime Inoue, I have a plan for her. Does the term 'impalement' mean anything to you?

ICHIGO: If you plan on killing her-

AUTHOR: You'll do what? Author, remember? Besides, I do to her what Rukia did to you, or rather YOU do to her what Rukia did to you, albeit by accident.

ICHIGO:...I give her shinigami abilities?

AUTHOR: I call it 'unintentional shinigami impalement'. She still has her canon powers, but I was tired of the stupid bitch seeming like dead weight in the series. Same goes for Tatsuki. I mean, of all the people that could develop spiritual powers, she was the most likely!

ICHIGO: Why?

AUTHOR: You spent most of your life around her. Friendly or not, the facts are the facts.

RUKIA:...Why did you have to remind me about that? And what are you thinking of for Tatsuki?

(Suì-Fēng walks in)

SUI-FENG: He's thinking about making her a younger, slightly less powerful version of me. Slightly only because I have more experience in fighting the way I do-

AUTHOR: While Tatsuki spent most of her life around Ichigo, giving her enough spiritual energy to develop powers of her own. She won't be a shinigami (at first; that may change) but she'll fight the same way Suì-Fēng here does.

SUI-FENG: Please tell me she doesn't get Flash Cry.

AUTHOR: She's being trained by Yoruichi. It'll happen whether you like it or not.

(Suì-Fēng tries killed the Author, but gets stopped by a kilj)

SUI-FENG: What the hell?

AUTHOR: Hinata Sakurahina. My Bankai. It's got more cutting power then a katana, and all your sword is _is_ a miniature katana.

(Massive fight between the two starts)

ICHIGO: That man is crazy.

RUKIA: At least you don't have to deal with Zaraki for a while.


	7. Chapter 6: Squad 11 Pain In The Ass

AN: Well here is the next chapter of White Sun. Yes I know it has been three months since the last one...I don't have an excuse for that. I just hit a lot of writers block, and its as simple as that. But I'm back now, and this story won't be dying anytime soon. I hope I didn't loose all my reviewers though...

Ichigo: I'm sure you haven't...they can't be that shallow can they?

Rukia: Yeah, they can't be like Ichigo right?

Ichigo: HEY!

Nami: *Shakes head* Those two...

AN: I know what you mean...in any case...please read and review. It will help me keep up this burst of inspiration.

Nami: And he doesn't own Bleach...so don't sue us!

Chapter 6: Squad 11 = Pain In The Ass

Ichigo and Ganju warily watched the opposing Soul Reapers drop off the building. One was bald and exuded a cocky attitude; while the other was a…well…it was hard to describe him. The biggest sense that the Ryoka got was that he looked down on them, figuratively and literally. He seemed to have an ego the size of Zangetsu...if not bigger.

'You know…I really don't like the feather guy, something about him annoys me.'

'Yeah, I know what you mean…but they are very powerful, so I don't think running is a good idea.' Ichigo replied, not knowing that he was echoing what Ganju was thinking.

"These guys are strong, Ichigo, I don't think we can handle them.'

"What are you talking about? They aren't that strong" Ichigo wondered if Ganju was reading his mind. "I can handle them easily enough."

"Yes they are you idiot! Those two are at least Third Seat level; we can't handle them. If you want to fight them feel free, I am getting out of here!"

"Are you two done arguing?" the bald Reaper asked the two arguing men, leaning over the crater with his Zanpakutō on his shoulders.

"I'm out of here, good luck Ichigo!" Ganju jumped out of the crater and ran off into the distance.

"After him, Yumichika," The bald Reaper calmly watched Ganju make his getaway.

His friend nodded and jumped after Ganju, chasing the Shiba man. It was obvious that Ganju couldn't outrun the Reaper, thus proving Ichigo's point.

'Did he really think running would work?' Shirayuki asked, shaking her head at the youngest Shiba.

'Who knows, but I don't think running would have done any good.' Ichigo jumped up out of the crater.

"Why didn't you run after your friend?" The other Reaper still lazily held his blade over his shoulder.

"If you really are that much stronger than me, running would be pointless. But if you are weaker, then I will defeat you here!"

The bald Soul Reaper got a gleam in his eyes on hearing that. "Oh, really, then…let's see you prove it!"

With that,, the man jumped at Ichigo, blade drawn and already swinging down. The orange haired Reaper quickly drew Shirayuki to block the blow, forcing the other Reaper to jump back. But it only lasted for a split-second before the man was charging forward again.

This time Ichigo was more prepared and brought Shirayuki up to block the blow, seemingly without much effort. But while he was focused on the bald Reapers katana, he failed to notice the other weapon swinging at his face. Because of that, Ichigo was knocked into the wall of a nearby building, while the other Reaper held his sword and sheath to the side.

'Oww…I wasn't expecting him to use his sheath like that.' Ichigo groggily stood up and shook his head.

'I thought that would be obvious, even to you, Ichigo. Adjust your fighting style, don't let his use both of his weapons on you.'

Ichigo nodded, and launched back out of the building with his smaller Zanpakutō flashing in the morning light. The bald Reaper wasn't expecting the ferocity of the attack, and had to actually struggle a little to block Ichigo's attacks. But he still managed to swing his sheath at Ichigo, who jumped over it.

The Reaper's eyes widened almost imperceptibly, as he swung his blade up at Ichigo, who swung Shirayuki down at him. When the smoke from the attacks cleared, both men were standing at opposite ends of the alley, and both of them had bleeding gashes over their eyes.

"Heh…not bad kid, I didn't think you could actually get a hit in on me," The Reaper raised a hand over his eye.

"That's what you get for being so cocky."

"I'm hardly cocky kid…but you have at least some skills, so tell me your name."

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Well then Ichigo, feel honored to be fighting Ikkaku Madarame, Third Seat of Squad 11, the strongest of the 13 Squads! But maybe since our names both start with an 'I' we can be friends?" Ikkaku grinned fiercely at Ichigo.

"Not going to happen Ikkaku," Ichigo wiped a hand over his bleeding head.

"Don't bother Ichigo…you can't keep the blood out of your eye, but I can try to stop the bleeding," Ikkaku said much the same thing.

"I wonder about you Ichigo…you act like an amateur, charging headlong at me, but you fight like you have been well-trained. Yet you don't even know to bring a styptic with you for minor wounds?" The other Reaper popped open the hilt of his Zanpaku-to and rubbing an ointment over his eye, sealing the wound.

"HEY! That's not fair, you brought an ointment!" More blood flowed into his eye despite Shirayuki's best efforts.

"It is too fair! It's called being prepared!" Ikkaku shot back, before flashing a grin at Ichigo, "Seriously though, you have to have been trained by someone Ichigo…tell me, who is your master?"

Ichigo scowled at the other Reaper, but didn't see much point in not answering. "I only trained with him for a couple weeks, so I wouldn't call him my master. But his name was Kisuke Urahara."

Ikkaku's eyes widened even more. 'it was him who trained this kid? Well in that case...'

"I see…if you were trained by him it would be an insult to go easy on you. Extend, Hozukimaru," Ikkaku said, as he slammed his Zanpakutō's blade and sheath together.

Ichigo watched in shock as the resultant smoke cloud cleared and showed Ikkaku now holding a long spear in his hands. The orange haired Soul Reaper barely had time to summon 'his' own Shikai before Ikkaku would jump him, so he held Shirayuki out in front of him.

"Dance, Sode no Shirayuki!" A white flash obscured him as the blade in his hand extended and turned a beautiful white in coloration.

Ikkaku ran an appraising eye over Shirayuki. "Very feminine Zanpakutō, Ichigo. I would have thought you'd have a better one…like that one on your back."

That pissed off both Shirayuki _and_ Ichigo: the former because she was compared to an extremely different sword and the latter because he actually liked using Shirayuki. Ikkaku was about to learn not to _**fuck**_ with either one.

"Why, that little twerp…take him down a notch Ichigo!'

Ichigo nodded and launched at Ikkaku, white blade swinging in a long arc. Ikkaku brought his own spear-shaped Zanpakutō up and blocked the blow, pushing Ichigo back. But it would take more than that to slow down the orange-haired Reaper, and he launched forward again, bringing Shirayuki down again and again.

"Don't misjudge Hozukimaru!" Ikkaku knocked Ichigo back again with lance-shaped weapon.

"What is there to misjudge! I know how much reach your spear has!" Ichigo blocked Ikkaku's next swing.

Ikkaku frowned as his spear slid along Ichigo's Zanpakutō. "That's not what I meant! Break, Hozukimaru!"

With that, the spear separated into three sections, the foremost one curving around to hit Ichigo, who just barely drew Zangetsu in time to block it. He didn't get away completely unmarked though, as the corner of Hozukimaru's blade cut into his shoulder.

Both of the Reapers jumped apart again, Ichigo nursing his shoulder while re-sheathing Zangetsu. Ikkaku just watched with a slightly impressed look on his face.

"I'm surprised you were able to draw that other blade in time to block Ichigo. But maybe you should surrender now, after all you can't hope to beat me with your arm hurt like that," He barely noticed Ichigo jumping at his face until it was almost too late.

"Like I would ever surrender! You're the one who will lose here Ikkaku not me!" Ichigo quickly drew Zangetsu and brought both his blades down on the building that Ikkaku was standing on. Telling Ichigo to surrender would be like telling a snake not to swallow its' food whole: useless and completely futile. And you'd get bit for your trouble.

The bald Third Seat jumped away and looked in shock at what Ichigo had done to the building. But he just scowled in a rough approximation of Ichigo's, and jumped at the orange haired Ryoka. But he failed to notice the grin on Ichigo's face, or the subtle swinging motion the younger Reaper made with Shirayuki.

"Nice try Ikkaku! Somenomai, Tskuishiro!" A pillar of ice encased Ikkaku, who was quickly, in his mind, at least yelling 'oh, FUCK'.

When the ice shattered, the Third Seat fell to the ground, unconscious and bleeding from multiple wounds. Ichigo re-sealed and sheathed Shirayuki before moving to grab Hozukimaru. He then opened the hilt of Ikkaku's blade, and used the ointment inside to seal up his shoulder and head wounds. Looking into the hilt of the blade, Ichigo noticed how much was left, shrugged, and started to apply the ointment to Ikkaku, before sitting down and resting while he waited for the Third Seat to awaken.

'_Nice job Ichigo, I didn't think you could do it_.'

'Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.'

Shirayuki glared at Ichigo. '_Oh, really…I say you do a good job and that's your reaction? Maybe I should just stick with insulting you, or the silent treatment like Zangetsu_.'

'_Don't involve me in this dispute_.'

'It was a joke, Shirayuki…a JOKE. I swear, your sense of humor is just as bad as Rukia's.' Ichigo shook his head ruefully.

Shirayuki's face went beet red. 'V_ery funny…I'm laughing my head off in here. Oh, baldy's waking up_.'

Ichigo looked over his shoulder and saw that Ikkaku was indeed starting to move. Once the bald Reaper's eyes opened he saw Ichigo sitting on some rubble next to him, and couldn't believe his eyes.

"I actually lost to you? Wait…why am I alive then?!"

Said Reaper looked a little taken aback by the shout/ "Gee…maybe I should have just let you die. I went through all that trouble of tending to your wounds and that's the thanks I get? So ungrateful."

Ikkaku just glared at Ichigo. "It isn't honorable to be captured by the enemy! You should have just let me die!"

"Well, I couldn't let you die; I need answers to my questions first."

"Fine, then…what do you want to know? My birthday?"

Ichigo stood up and gave Ikkaku a serious look. "Where is Rukia Kuchiki?"

"The prisoner? Why do you want to know where she is?"

"I'm here to rescue her!" Ichigo glared at the bald man.

"Rescue her? How many people do you have with you? Ten, twenty maybe?"

"Five and a cat," Ichigo's reply was just as serious as before

Ikkaku lost it at the word 'cat'. "Oh man! You really are insane!"

'I_chigo, may I please hit him for that_?'

Ichigo nodded and pulled Shirayuki's blade off his belt…before whacking Ikkaku in the head with it.

"OWW! What was that for?" The bald Reaper held his head, messaging the bump he knew would form.

"My Zanpakutō asked to hit you; now, seriously Ikkaku, where are you holding Rukia?"

Ikkaku sighed and looked off into the distance. He still thought Ichigo was crazy, but maybe this was for the best.

"She is being held in the Repentance Cell…that big white tower in the distance, but you will have to get past all of the Squads to reach her."

Ichigo nodded and moved to leave. "Thanks, Ikkaku. I'm sure someone will find you soon."

"Wait, Ichigo…who in your group is the strongest?"

"That would probably be me," Ichigo wondered what the bald man was getting at.

"In that case, my Captain will go after you first. Prepare yourself Ichigo."

"What's his name?" Ichigo wasn't sure he wanted the answer.

Ikkaku sighed. "His name is…"

A couple hours later

"His name is…Kenpachi Zaraki…and he is the strongest Captain in the Seireitei and he won't hesitate to kill you Ichigo."

Those words rang in Ichigo's head as he ran through the streets of the Seireitei looking for his wayward ally. So far he had no luck in finding Ganju, and it was really starting to get on his nerves. Just where had the big oaf disappeared to?

"HEY GANJU! IF YOU CAN HEAR ME SHOOT OFF SOME FIREWORKS OR SOMETHING!"

As he turned to the side he saw a group of Soul Reapers staring him down.

'Nice one Ichigo…now get out of here!' Shirayuki yelled as the Reapers started to charge at Ichigo.

"Darn it! Why can't I just get a break already!" Ichigo ran away from the small horde of Reapers chasing him.

"Stop running you coward! For the honor of Squad 11, we will kill you!"

Ichigo was just about ready to yell for Ganju again, but all of a sudden a Ganju came running around a corner…battered and bloody but still mobile.

"Hey Ganju! About time you showed up!" Ichigo yelled at the Shiba man…before he noticed a bunch of Reapers running after him too, "YOU IDIOT! YOU BROUGHT MORE OF THEM!"

"So did you!" Ganju had obviously having been running for a while.

Both of the Ryoka glared at each other, but kept on running. Ganju pulled his fist back, while Ichigo drew Zangetsu. The results of which was a bunch of knocked out Soul Reapers surrounding the two souls. Ichigo held his newly released blade over his shoulder, while Ganju rubbed his fists.

"I don't think that they are going to back off Kurosaki," Ganju said, watching the steadily growing group of hostile Soul Reapers.

"I know that…we're just going to have to fight our way out," Ichigo raised his sword.

"Are you insane? We can't fight that many Soul Reapers and win!"

But it turned out they didn't have to fight all of those Reapers, as one of them stumbled forward and fell in front of the two men. He looked quite a bit different from the other Reapers…average was the first word that came to Ichigo's mind, unlike the universally ugly Reapers staring the group down.

"Uh…you wouldn't happen to be the Ryoka everyone's looking for would you?" the young Reaper asked hesitantly.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Ichigo?" Ganju had a rather evil smirk on his face.

"Oh, yes, I am…" Ichigo, who had a smile of evilness matching that of Sosuke Aizen and Ganju's brother Kaien combined, grabbing the hapless Soul Reaper and holding Zangetsu to his neck.

"AHH! Please don't hurt me! I bleed easily!" the boy struggled fruitlessly against Ichigo's grip.

"Move aside if you want to see your friend live!" Ichigo held Zangetsu dangerously close to the kid's throat.

"I sincerely hope you don't really mean that Ichigo…' Shirayuki disapproved of this course of action.

'Oh, of course I don't mean it…why would I kill someone who doesn't even have a Zanpakutō?'

'I would hope not, Ichigo.' Zangetsu was in full agreement with the other resident Zanpakutō.

Before Ichigo could come up with a witty comeback, he was distracted by the other Soul Reapers. They were watching him hold the younger Reaper back with confused looks on their faces.

"Umm…what exactly are you doing?"

"Holding your friend hostage, what's it look like!?" Ichigo's voice was rather menacing, if you asked the hapless Reaper in his arms.

The various Soul Reapers surrounding the Ryoka broke out laughing at that, "He's not our friend, you idiot! That kid's a member of Squad 4, their not even worthy to clean our boots! We're from Squad 11…and we could care less what you do to him! Go ahead and kill him, it saves us the trouble of doing it ourselves!"

"WHAT? You would kill your own men?" It also made little sense, from what little Ganju knew of the Gotai 13. Squad 4 was the medical and supply division: if anything, they should be rushing to the kid's defense.

"Apparently so…"

Of course, the kid in his hands started to squirm even more…wanting to get away from Squad 11 just as much as Ichigo. Not that it helped him any: Ichigo had too firm of a hold on him. But all of a sudden, a bright blue beam blasted a hole in one of the walls and took out nearly half of the hostile Soul Reapers.

"What was that?" Ganju held a hand in front of his face to keep himself from choking on the dust.

"I don't know…and I don't care! All that matters is that only half of them are left!" Ichigo turned around and charged at the remaining Soul Reapers with Ganju running after him… with the hapless Squad 4 member slung over his shoulder.

'Ouch…that's going to leave a mark…' Shirayuki chuckled as Ichigo barreled headlong through the group of Soul Reapers.

Of course, with how busy the group was, they didn't notice the source of the attack was Chad, who stepped through the hole in the wall.

I could have sworn I felt Ichigo's reiatsu here…'

But he was distracted as a group of remaining Squad 11 members stared him down.

"Hey are you one of those Ryoka?!"

Chad nodded. "I guess I am."

"Then prepare to die! We'll kill you in five minutes!"

Chad just shrugged and raised his arm…blue light shining along its length.

"Sorry to disappoint you…but this will be over in two minutes," The half-Mexican teen simply walked toward the Squad 11 members as they tried running for their lives. Needless to say, they failed like the Babylon Project did in 2260.

AN: And there was the chapter. I hope it was worth the wait...though somehow I doubt it was...

Nami: Oh come on...I'm sure they'll be happy there was an update.

AN: I know...but they may not review as a way of getting back for how long it took...

Ichigo: Again, I'm sure they won't act like that.

Rukia: Yeah, keep your hopes up!

AN: Thanks...I think...regardless, please leave a review on the way out, and hopefully I can get another chapter out soon...again, I'm terribly sorry for letting this go so long without an update.

Ron the True Fan AN

(The Author is seen sitting in a chair wearing an ancient Egyptian infantry uniform, holding a khepesh in place of his normal zanpakutō)

ICHIGO: Another 'Future Bleach story' AN?

AUTHOR: Partially. This is where the story will start changing. Due to the chaos you guys are making, Rukia's execution has to be pushed back another week. This will put you in contact with another division. Also, I just referenced _Babylon 5_ with that last line. You'll see me pull that a lot in later chapters.

ICHIGO: Which one? The 13th? The 7th? Please tell me it's not the 12th.

AUTHOR: Oh, Suì-Fēng!

ICHIGO: Oh, hell.

(A heavily beaten Suì-Fēng walks in, scowling at the Author)

ICHIGO: What the hell happened to you?

SUI-FENG: That bastard's new ability happened. And I'm the one you run into.

ICHIGO: Why?

SUI-FENG: I don't know; I'm not the author!

ICHIGO: And what new ability do you have now other then your gun and zanpakutō?

AUTHOR: Originally, it was a spiritual energy-based shield that made me Hollow-proof. It doesn't work so well against shinigami or Arrancar, though.

ICHIGO: Nice way to keep it balanced.

AUTHOR: Thank you. After gaining my shinigami abilities, however, that shield turned into a pair of vanbraces: lower arm guards made of steel.

ICHIGO: What does this have to do with that Egyptian-looking outfit?

AUTHOR: I was getting to that. You see, the ax touched the right vanbrace and I met a spirit. Wasn't Sakurahina, as it was male. Then I was told to think the words 'Armor of Egypt'. That's when I got this outfit. It's the most basic of them, as it only increases my abilities by a small amount: speed, protection and firepower are all increased by 5 to 10%.

ICHIGO: Them?

AUTHOR: I call them the Armors. The most powerful one eludes me, but I know of the Armor of Rome and the Armor of Sparta. Haven't used them yet. I think there's at least five, maybe 7 or 8.

ICHIGO: Well, you didn't avoid the 'almighty' part, if Suì-Fēng here is any indication.

AUTHOR: My Author Powers boosted their abilities by a factor of 30, Ichigo. In the story, I wouldn't be able to fight Suì-Fēng with the Armor of Egypt. I'd need another Armor Set that increased my speed to dodge her attacks. I've got one, but the spirit likes screwing with me.

SUI-FENG: Anything else on these...Armors?

AUTHOR: I think they run on the Sealed/Shikai/Bankai system, just like a zanpakutō. I'll need to experiment before I'm sure, though.

(Rukia walks in)

RUKIA: How long until you start actually writing new material instead of slightly rewriting the old stuff?

AUTHOR: I'm almost done! Christ, YOU try writing this stuff! Wait, never mind; you'd do to it what you do with your drawings.

(Rukia screams before attacking the Author)

ICHIGO: Don't kill her!

AUTHOR: I've got Author Powers! Even if I kill her, I can just bring her back!


	8. Chapter 7: The End of the Beginning

A/N: And here is the next chapter. I know it isn't very long, but I didn't have as much time to type as I would like. I also don't have time to make a large AN, so lets just get to the chapter.

Chapter 7: The End of the Beginning

Somewhere in the Seireitei

"I think we lost them…finally," Ganju said, trying to catch his breath.

"I hope so…they don't know how to give up," Ichigo added, taking a quick look out the door.

The two Ryoka had taken shelter in an old warehouse after being chased over what felt like half the Sereitai by Soul Reapers. Of course, they were just in the calm before the storm. Both Ryoka knew that if they left that warehouse without a plan in place, they would soon be running for their lives again…and it was only a matter of time before a Captain showed up.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Ganju asked, sitting down next to a large box.

"We need to get to that tower at the center of the Sereitai. That's where their holding Rukia," Ichigo answered.

"Tower at the center of the Seireitei? Let me get out my map…" Ganju pulled a large paper out of his shirt.

The Shiba man set the paper down on the box after unfolding it. It was…a unique map…with very little detail. There was a rough drawing of the Sereitai, with the Repentance Cell at the center. It also had the major streets (the ones from the gates) marked. But it wasn't very detailed beyond that…and it even had a crude drawing of Ganju in the corner.

Ichigo looked at the map and sweat-dropped. He knew Ganju wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, even with how little time he had known him. But this was a completely new level…

'Ichigo…that is not a map. That is a school child's drawing of the Seireitei…'

'Trust me, Shirayuki…I know…' "What sort of map is this? You drew this yourself, didn't you?"

"Yes I did! Impressive isn't it? I can tell you're shocked by it," Ganju had a grin on his face, but completely missed Ichigo's point.

"That's not what I meant…and how exactly are we going to get past all the Captains to get to Rukia?"

"Rukia? Rukia Kuchiki?" a soft voice came from behind the Substitute Reaper.

Ichigo and Ganju turned around and saw the Soul Reaper from earlier, sitting against the wall. When the Ryoka turned around, the boy jumped up slightly, obviously scared.

"Ganju…why is he still here?" Ichigo asked.

"How should I know, I just held onto him when we ran away," Ganju replied, lazily flicking some dust off his shoulder.

"WHY? We can't be carrying a prisoner around while we're looking for Rukia!" Ichigo yelled, slapping his head.

"I know how to get to Rukia…if you'll let me help you," The boy had a determined look on his face. Ichigo had little choice but to believe him. He usually had the same look on his face when he wanted to do something and had his mind sent on it.

"You know how to get to Rukia?"

The boy nodded, and set out of the house. Ichigo wasn't inclined to trust him (neither was Ganju) but Shirayuki said it was at least worth a shot. So Ichigo and Ganju followed the Reaper around until he lifted up a random street tile, exposing a ladder that lead underground.

Once the little group had descended the ladder they found themselves in a sewer. There was a walkway on either side of a stream of water, with dim red lighting. It was dark, damp, and altogether unpleasant, but there wasn't anyone around. And that was the important part, since it would be much easier to rescue Rukia without getting caught.

So Ichigo and Ganju continued to follow the shorter boy around, trusting him for some reason they didn't understand. Or at least in Ganju's case…Ichigo still had his suspicions. And after a while he couldn't stop from voicing them.

"Hey kid, what's your name and why are you helping us?"

"Hanataro Yamada…I'm helping you because I don't want Miss Rukia to die," the boy answered.

That brought Ichigo up short. It was odd enough that a Soul Reaper was helping him break out a high-security prisoner in the first place. But why would he want to help Rukia in particular…and how did he know her in the first place?

"How do you even know Rukia anyway?"

Hanataro shrugged and led the group to a small alcove. Once they had all sat down, he started to explain why he was helping.

"Soon after Miss Rukia was captured, she was placed in a cell in the Squad 6 barracks. I was assigned to clean that cell, and I was worried about it. Miss Rukia is a member of the Kuchiki clan after all," Hanataro had a sad smile on his face. "But the first time I tried calling her 'Miss Kuchiki', she corrected me. 'Call me Rukia' she said…and her voice was so kind. From that day on, I looked forward to cleaning her cell everyday."

Ichigo gave Hanataro a serious look. He had just described Rukia well, and it meant that he was at least telling the truth about knowing her. Now if only he could confirm actually wanting to rescue Rukia…

"But you see, whenever I went to her cell, she seemed so sad. Not as sad as I thought she would be, considering her sentence, but she still seemed depressed. When I asked Miss Rukia about it, she told me that it was her own fault for ending up in the cell." Hanataro took in a breath. "But her face told me something else. When Miss Rukia noticed me looking at her, she told me that she hadn't said everything. It was then she started to tell me about you, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo flinched slightly. "Me?"

'O_f course you…did you really think Rukia wouldn't bring you up at some point_?' Zangetsu nodding in the background. Shirayuki was happy that they were one step closer to getting to Rukia, and wasn't afraid to voice it.

"Yes you…she said that she was being punished for transferring her powers to a human soul, and your name came up Ichigo. Miss Rukia said that it was because of her that you had to be given her powers, and that she regretted ever doing that."

It was that last sentence that broke Ichigo's back though. He stood up and started to run towards the other end of the sewer. He was not going to let Rukia die…he couldn't. Her blaming herself for the situation just made it that much worse.

'Damn, it Rukia…I thought we had gone over this already…I AM going to save you!' Ichigo continued to run through the sewer, with Ganju and Hanataro shouting out behind him.

Meanwhile

"Man, I haven't had to wear this badge in a while." Renji ran to the Squad 1 barracks while adjusting his Squad 6 Lieutenant's badge.

"Are you kidding me? I've never worn my badge before!" Tetsuaemon Iba, the Lieutenant of Squad 7 ran along with Renji. It worked for them, as they were literally next door to one another.

"Heh, good point." The two reached their destination.

The redhead stepped in first, noticing that no one was in the room. At least no one he noticed immediately.

"Hey, Renji. I guess you got called in, too." a 'young' girl with hear hair tied into a bun wearing a Soul Reaper uniform and Lieutenants badge was sitting on the floor..

"Momo? You're here too?" Renji asked, looking down on his old friend.

Momo Hinamori nodded her head, "Yeah…I was called down here just like the rest of the Lieutenants…but I haven't seen Captain Aizen anywhere…I wonder where he is…"

Renji noticed that Momo seemed to be holding back tears as she said that, and mentally slapped himself. He had forgotten how much Momo idolized Aizen. Renji considered it distinctly unhealthy, but who was he to judge? (AN: 'Distinctly unhealthy'? DISTINCTLY UNHEALTHY?! The fucking bastard IMPALES HER!) He was just as obsessed with beating Byakuya for taking Rukia away from him.

"I'm sure Captain Aizen is okay, Momo. Don't you worry about it," Renji put a hand on Momo's shoulder.

Said Lieutenant sniffed slightly, "I know that…I'm still worried though. He has been acting so odd lately." (AN: You don't know the half of it)

Renji nodded absentmindedly; he had noticed Aizen acting weird, all right. The man had even pulled Renji aside earlier to talk about Rukia's execution. That the Captain was convinced there was something off about Rukia's trial had shocked Renji, to say the least. It didn't make sense that someone like Captain Aizen would question a judgment from Central 46. But again, it wasn't Renji's place to question it, so he just brushed it off as the man worrying too much.

Of course, he was soon distracted as another Lieutenant walked into the room. She was a tall blonde with…large…endowments…that Renji had to struggle to not look at. It didn't help that the woman wore the single most revealing uniform in the entire Sereitai…only Nemu Kurotsuchi came close. And that was just barely.

"I wouldn't expect the rest of the Captains to show up anytime soon. They've all been busy throughout the Sereitai and Rukon." the woman said, moving a lock of hair behind her ear.

"And how would you know that Rangiku?"

"Because I'm a more experienced Soul Reaper than you Renji, I'm told more," Rangiku Matsumoto grinned.

'More like you are a horrible gossip and got one of the Captains drunk to tell you this…probably Captain Kyoraku.' out loud, however... "And yet you don't even have your own Captain here…who is he again?"

"Captain Hitsugaya…remember, the prodigy?" Iba walked up behind Renji.

"Oh right…boy genius…I feel sorry for Rangiku," Renji replied, conveniently ignoring the fuming blonde

"At least my Captain isn't a stuck up Noble prick!" Rangiku put a hand on her mouth as a familiar Reiatsu engulfed the group.

Standing behind the loud-mouthed Lieutenant was Byakuya Kuchiki, the 'stuck up Noble prick'. Needless to say, he was not amused with Rangiku's view of him.

"I sincerely hope you were not referring to me Lieutenant Matsumoto. You would do well to remember your place," Byakuya swept past the Lieutenants without sparing any of them so much as a cursory glance.

Rangiku glared at his back as the Noble passed by, while Renji and Iba bowed slightly. Momo just stayed where she was on the ground, since standing up would have meant getting in Byakuya's way…not a smart idea by any means.

But as soon as Byakuya was in the meeting room, Renji broke out laughing at Rangiku who turned her glare on him. Not that it phased Renji in the slightest, as after all, when you had to deal with the 'Kuchiki Death Glare' from Byakuya Kuchiki himself…a mundane glare like Rangiku's was nothing in comparison.

'I'm so going to get him back for this…' Rangiku angrily turned and moving to sit in another corner of the room.

"This Captains meeting shall begin!" The old Captain of the 1st Division, Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, slammed his heavy wooden staff into the ground. "Our first order of business is Captain Ichimaru's failure to apprehend the Ryoka before they could infiltrate the Seireitei."

Standing at the opposite end of the room, was Gin, who wore his typical smile. He seemed completely unphased by the attention. In fact, it looked suspiciously like the man was enjoying it.

That got under the skin of most of the Captains, but none more so than the shortest of the group. He was the 'prodigy' that Renji and Iba had been discussing. Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, the youngest Captain in the history of the Sereitai. And he had an extreme dislike for Gin Ichimaru that was getting worse when the man started talking.

"What do you mean Captain-General Yamamoto, sir? As far as I knew the boy was dead and his friends could never enter the Seireitei: after all, the wall and shield should have killed anyone who even tried," Gin said, still wearing that grin of his.

Toshiro's anger grew, and he was hard pressed to not let it show as he rebuked Gin, "You still should have checked, _Captain_ Ichimaru."

Gin turned his grin on Toshiro. "Well, _Captain_ Hitsugaya, to check would have required leaving the door open. With Jidanbo being…_indisposed_…I would have had no way of keeping it open."

Toshiro was ready to give another rebuke, when Yamamoto drew the attention back up to the front.

"Regardless of Captain Ichimaru's failure to deal with the Ryoka, we can not afford to be a Captain down, not when the same Ryoka have decimated Squad 11. Captain Ichimaru is to be considered on probation, but will continue to assist in the hunt for the Ryoka."

Toshiro bit back his comment and stepped back, glaring at the back of Gin's head. If looks could kill, the fox faced Captain would have been vaporized by the intensity of Toshiro's glare like a Aurora. But the young Captain kept quiet as the other Captains logged various reports. Soon enough, the meeting came to a close as the Captains began to file out.

But two of them came very close to each other. One was Gin, the other was Captain Aizen. Both of them seemed to be at odds, at least they did to Toshiro who watched the exchange.

"You are lucky the Head-Captain let you off so easily Gin…but I'm not as forgiving," Aizen was calm. TOO calm.

"Oh I'm shaking in my boots Sosuke. I would suggest watching your back…you never know when someone may stab it," Gin's grin never once leaving his face.

Aizen frowned at Gin, and then moved off, leaving Toshiro to wonder what was going on between the two men. They had once been the best of friends, but it seemed they had a falling out. Toshiro wouldn't complain though, since if Aizen didn't approve of Gin, the fox-faced Captain wouldn't be able to get to Momo. And Toshiro would die before he let anyone hurt his best friend…no one would touch Momo as long as he still was still breathing!

AN: Yes, I made a little change to the timeline there. Namely since I forgot to do that meeting when it was needed. Other than that, not much to say other than please read and review.

Oh, and THANK YOU for all the reviews. You have no idea how nice it was to get that many after how long this story was on hiatus.

Ron the True Fan AN

(Wearing the armor of a Persian Immortal, the Author stands beside Momo Hinamori, Lieutenant of the 5th Division)

AUTHOR: Good day, or evening, depending on where you are. As you have noticed, I have outwitted the spirit and gained the Armor of Persia, the speed-type. As Ichigo is tending to Rukia, and doing God knows what else with her, I have invited Momo Hinamori of the 5th Division (Another, albeit subtle, reference to _Babylon 5_) to temporarily replace them. After that, she can continue to wallow in self-pity.

MOMO: Hey!

AUTHOR: Of all the members of the Gotai 13, you're still hung up on that asshole, Aizen. Of course, you will be popping up more often in this story, and you will run into Ichigo and company, joining them on their little quest. In fact, you pop up in the next chapter, which also happens to be the first one I actually wrote, rather then edited.

(Female voice: BONUS!)

AUTHOR: However, one of my secondary preferred pairing, which is Toshiro/Momo, will not be happening.

(Toshiro Hitsugaya walks in)

TOSHIRO: WHAT?!

(Author holds up a picture of Ichigo's sister, Karin, who shares her name with my aunt)

(The camera pans to show that Toshiro's eyes have changed into pink hearts, and are beating)

AUTHOR: Another of my preferred secondary pairings, Toshiro/Karin, if only to see the look on Ichigo's face when they start dating. (Evil chuckle)

(Ichigo runs in while Momo starts sputtering before both speak as one)

MOMO/ICHIGO: S/HE DIES!

(Suddenly, Kosh Naranek appears out of nowhere)

KOSH: And the cycle begins again.

AUTHOR: Thank you, Kosh, for stating the PAINFULLY OBVIOUS! At this rate, I'll have to pull in characters from other series' to replace these idiots! What the hell are you doing here, anyway?

KOSH: I have always been here.

(Kosh leaves)

AUTHOR: Oh, no, you don't. I'm the Author here and I WILL GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER OUT OF YOU! BANKAI, HINATA SAKURAHINA!

(Author charges at Kosh, starting another epic battle)


	9. Chapter 8: What is this, Final Fantasy!

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

(Replacing the Author in this special AN is Citizen G'Kar of Narn and Ambassador Londo Mollari of Centauri Prime)

G'KAR: Good day, readers of this fine story. As the local author is indisposed, currently fighting Ambassador Kosh-

LONDO: And winning.

G'KAR: We must do his job. First, the famous, albeit useless, disclaimer.

LONDO: Ron the True Fan does not own the series Bleach or the idea for this story. The original idea comes from Ryuken-Sogetsu, although the Author has taken a lot of liberties with the idea, considering this wasn't his to begin with. Skywalker T-65 was the original author, and all honors go to him.

G'KAR: The changes are few, but many at the same time. Read on to find out.

LONDO: Otherwise, G'Kar will choke me to death!

G'KAR: We kill each other in the Earth year 2278, Mollari. Our deaths are written. You know that.

LONDO: You know what I mean! Just read the damned thing!

Chapter 8: What is this, _Final Fantasy_?!

In coming years, Ichigo Kurosaki would count the days that he was a complete and total idiot.

This day was one of them.

"Are you sure this is the way, Hanataro?"

The young(ish) shinigami nodded.

"If we cut through here, after going through a few streets, it's a straight run to the Repentance Cell."

"And Rukia."

Ichigo replaced his scowl with a smirk.

"Then let's get going!"

In another time, the three man team would have run into the infamous Captain of the 11th Division, Kenpachi Zaraki.

In this timeline, they were slightly more lucky to run into a Lieutenant: the 5th Division Lieutenant Momo Hinamori, to be exact.

While it wasn't her job, she decided to go looking for the missing Hanataro, as Captain Unohana was extremely busy with the casualties that were once the 11th Division, and she was doing her job in looking for the Ryoka.

When they saw her, only Ichigo remained impassive.

While known as a gentle soul, Momo was still quite feared as a powerful Lieutenant. (G'Kar AN: Not powerful enough, it seems)

"This is as far as you go, Ryoka!"

"Oh, crap! It's Lieutenant Hinamori!"

Zangetsu had one thing to say about Momo: _'Ichigo?'_

'Yeah?'

'_Is this a_ joke?'

Shirayuki scoffed.

'_What are you talking about, Zangetsu? This is a Lieutenant we're facing here_!'

'_Compare Ichigo's power to hers, Shirayuki, and you will see what I mean_.'

She did.

Then started laughing her ass off.

In tank terms, Ichigo was an M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank: tough as all hell and something that simply would. Not. Die.

Momo was a British Mk. 1 Tank from World War I: a lot weaker.

A .50 caliber bullet could take out a Mk I!

Hell, they were designed to do just that!

"So, you're a Lieutenant?"

Momo puffed out her chest in pride.

"Yes, I am! Momo Hinamori, Lieutenant of the 5th Division!"

Ichigo wasn't cruel by any means.

The truth, however, hurt.

"Are all Lieutenants as weak as you, or are you the exception to the rule?"

Momo looked at the orange-haired shinigami.

And got angry.

VERY angry.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Exactly what I said."

Smoke would have started raising from Momo's ears if it could.

She attacked Ichigo, who simply drew Shirayuki and parried the attack.

"Jidanbo was stronger then you are. And I broke his axes. Sorry, but you're just not worth my time!"

He kicked Momo in the gut, sending her flying toward the wall.

And the wall after that.

And the wall after that.

Six walls later, she finally stopped.

"As much as I don't want to leave her there, we have better things to-"

He was interrupted but the sound of a jet engine.

He knew this engine: most Japanese did if they were from Okinawa.

It was the sound of a J58, the engines of the Hibu: also known to the locals as the Lockheed Martin SR-71A Blackbird. (G'Kar AN: According to this book the Author gave me, a Hibu is a type of pit viper from the Japanese island of Okinawa, of which a posting for the human reconnaissance aircraft known as the Lockheed Martin SR-71 was based. The SR-71 has a passing resemblance to this animal, hence the nickname)

He sighed.

This was going to take longer then he would have liked.

He blocked Momo's now-released zanpakutō from hitting him.

"Are you done?"

She kept attacking, apparently pissed off at the shinigami before her.

"Seriously, you're at least 100 years older then I am and I'm STILL not going down!"

Momo just got angrier and attacked with kido fireballs.

Ichigo either deflected the kido attacks with Shirayuki or dodged them completely. Then he prepared to release Shirayuki when a blue wave of reiatsu launched from the blade, almost hitting Momo and nearly cutting her in two. It missed by only a few milimeters.

This was the first time Ichigo's soon-to-be signature attack, Getsuga Tensho, was used in combat.

He liked it.

He liked it a LOT.

He liked it so much his smile unnerved everyone within a 10 kilometer radius, including Sosuke Aizen and Kenpachi Zaraki.

It even unnerved **Zangetsu**.

And NOTHING unnerved Zangetsu.

'_Ichigo, could you quit smiling? You're scaring Zangetsu. In fact, you're scaring ME_.'

'I don't think I can.'

This was bad.

_'Why?'_

'I'm enjoying this too much.'

He looked at Momo, who chuckled nervously.

His unnerving, evil smile turned less unnerving and more evil.

Time to see what his new attack was REALLY capable of.

"TAKE THIS!"

Dozens of blade-like reiatsu-based attacks came toward Momo.

She dodged most of them, but one hit her leg, cutting it deeply.

Ichigo was not playing with her, nor trying to kill her.

He was like a kid with a new toy.

A highly destructive toy, but a toy nonetheless.

He was simply seeing what it could do.

And he was liking what he was seeing.

He would thank Shirayuki for letting him use that attack later.

_'Ichigo?'_

'Yeah, Shirayuki?'

'_That's not one of my power_s.'

Ichigo blinked.

'What?'

_'That's one of Zangetsu's._'

'BUH?!'

Repentance Cell

Something was very, VERY wrong.

There was something in her inner world.

And it was NOT originally there before.

'_I've always been here, Queeny, just like Sode no Shirayuki_!'

Rukia was getting annoyed. First, her daily visits from Ichigo stopped, mostly because of the damned Sekki-Sekki Rock-lined cell she was in.

If Ichigo could visit, he would; she knew that.

The other, more important, reason at the moment she was annoyed was simple.

She didn't know who that voice was, why it sounded like her, and where the hell is was!

Rukia liked few things in life: drawing rabbits, her brother's approval and Ichigo, in the reverse order. She did NOT like mysteries.

She _hated_ them.

So she decided to go looking for the spirit that had made itself a home in Rukia's soul, and whoop its' ass.

What she would discover would put the Soul Society on its' head and shatter what everyone thought they knew about souls.

Back with Momo

Momo Hinamori had discovered that the Ryoka was, indeed, the same one that took Rukia Kuchiki's powers.

Or was given them, if you were to believe the couple.

Either way, she discovered something else.

She was _screwed._

While he had some of Rukia's powers (and none of her expert control) he also had powers of his own, and one of those was the then-unnamed Getsuga Tensho, a ranged reiatsu-based attack that hurt like a BITCH!

If anything, Kurosaki was on the same level as Kenpachi Zaraki, or worse, was above him in power.

Hell, he could be close to the Captain-General's level of power!

While Momo idolized Aizen, she was not stupid enough to put him on the same level as Zaraki or Yamamoto.

In short, two words described her situation: 'I'm fucked.'

But her duty was clear: short Ichigo Kurosaki or die trying.

Mostly the latter, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying for the former!

She charged Ichigo, but all Ichigo did was sidestep the tired and battered Momo and hit her over the head with Shirayuki's pommel.

The top three things on Ichigo's to-do list were, in order: Get Rukia the hell out of the Repentance Cell, find out what the hell was happening to Shirayuki-and, by extension, Zangetsu-and make sure that Hinamori wouldn't get up to try and kill him.

Again.

At the moment, number 3 was the most available.

He picked her up and gave Hanataro her sword to hang onto.

"W-What-"

"Hold onto it. I can't believe I'm doing this."

He used a rope that Orihime had packed before leaving Kukaku's home to tie her up, then placed her in a fireman's carry.

'What is this, _Final Fantasy IX_?'

Back with Rukia

Rukia, during her stay with Ichigo, had watched something called _Babylon 5: The Gathering_.

It was a good movie, too.

The bad guy's last words almost seemed like a premonition now: like Sinclair, she had a hole in her mind.

A VERY big hole in her mind.

The hole was the size of a cave entrance in the United States, and probably went just as deep.

'_Come on in, Queen: I won't bite!_'

And the spirit lived here, apparently.

She entered the tomb-like cavern slowly.

'_No worries, Queen: you won't slip_!'

She walked down the stairs as quickly as she would have in Ichigo's home. The bottom of the cave was rather Spartan, with only a table, a few chairs and a cot.

'What the hell?'

She turned to face...herself.

Only it wasn't herself.

Unlike Rukia, her eyes were black with yellow irises and she was white all over: even her hair was white.

The only black was what was supposed to be white: the undershirt of her shinigami uniform was darker then Rukia's hair, while the outer jacket was white as a Captain's Haori.

'_Surprised, Queen? Relax, I ain't gonna hurt ya_.'

She sat in one of the chairs and motioned Rukia to sit down. Rukia eyed the doppelganger, but sat down.

'You talk like Ichimaru.'

'_Polar opposites, Queen. You're all high and mighty and proper, but me? Down to earth and simple. We got ONE thing in common, though: our taste in men_.'

Rukia scowled at the spirit.

'_Relax, I ain't going ta steal him from ya! I got one of my own, too_.'

Rukia decided to ask the question.

'What the hell are you?'

Screw proper: she needed answers.

'_I'm YOU, Queen! Remember that guy at the Academy? Big guy? Got killed a few years later fighting a Hollow_?'

She remembered him: a kind man who never gave his name, but instead, his thoughts.

They were simple to understand.

Each soul was made of three extremes: the neutral, (the core of who the person was) the positive (which would eventually gave rise to the powers of a shinigami) and the negative. (which would turn you into a Hollow)

Even after choosing one extreme, you could take traits from the other.

The teachers thought this was ridiculous, but the Captain-General had read his thesis and graduated him early, placing him in the 12th Division to take advantage of his keen mind.

He was killed in combat with a Hollow that managed to enter the Seireitei, but he took the damned thing down with him.

'I remember him _and_ his ideas.'

'_Well, time to expand on it. You're the core. Without you, me and Sode no Shirayuki wouldn't exist! She's the positive: your 'shinigami third', if ya like_.'

Rukia blinked and tried not to scream.

She was talking with a Hollow.

Correction: she was talking with **HER** Hollow.

Her shinigami training almost kicked in when she realized that Ichigo had Shirayuki.

'_I told ya I wouldn't hurt ya, Queen! Unlike the King's Inner Hollow, I've only been out for a few weeks_!'

Rukia pieced the timeline together.

Her Inner Hollow woke up when Byakuya took her back to the Soul Society!

'Wait, King?'

'_Ichigo! Ya know? The King? Every Queen's gotta have a King, and he's your King, same as mine_!' 'Ichigo has an Inner Hollow?'

'_Didn't ya hear me, Queen? EVERYONE'S got an Inner Hollow! You, the king, Renji, even Byakuya and the Captain-General! Same goes for Hollows having Inner Shinigami! Sure, they're put under, they're there_.'

Rukia looked at her Inner Hollow, then did the one thing a person does then given conflicting information.

She fainted.

Back with Ichigo and company

While camping in the sewer tunnels, Ichigo had decided to do some investigating of his own and discovered that, somehow, some of Zangetsu's abilities, including the newly-coined Getsuga Tensho, had bled over into Shirayuki. So he decided to see if the opposite was true.

'Shirayuki-'

'_Don't bother saying it, Ichigo. You're curious. And frankly, so am I. Use Zangetsu for a while and see if my powers bleed into him_.'

The reflex of going for Shirayuki would take a while to fade, so he tried a training exercise to force him to go for Zangetsu rather then Shirayuki.

For a while, he stopped partway, as the first few times he went for Shirayuki.

After a few dozen tries, though, he got in the habit of drawing Zangetsu rather then Sode no Shirayuki. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

He looked back to Momo, who was laying close by.

"Relax, girly. We aren't going to hurt you."

Momo was clearly terrified: Ichigo knew that.

As she reminded him of his sisters before their mother died, he decided to comfort her the same way he did to his sister when they were scared.

He hugged her.

While Shirayuki wanted to start yelling about how he was 'betraying Rukia', Zangetsu stopped her.

'_He sees his little sisters in her now. He has that overwhelming urge to comfort her because of that_.'

'_So, he's in big brother mode. I hate it when he randomly does that_.'

_'It is part of what he is. I believe Rukia accepted that. I think you should, too_.'

Meanwhile, Momo had finally calmed down, as Ichigo was a comforting presence outside of combat.

"You OK?"

Momo nodded, and Ichigo let go of her.

"Let's try that again." She looked at Ichigo. "Huh?" "Our first meeting sucked. Might as well introduce myself properly." He sat up straight. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki." "Momo Hinamori." "Well, we got that out of the way." "What are you planning to do to me?" "Just wanted you out of the way. You remind me of my sisters, in a way, so I don't want to hurt you. Hanataro patched up your leg, and now...now we're just going to keep you down here until we rescue Rukia." "Rukia? Rukia Kuchiki? You're here for her?" "Surprised?" "You took her powers from her!"

"She GAVE them to me when she was wounded.

She didn't have much of a choice and my family was in danger. I'm just returning the favor, and more." "More?"

"She's my girlfriend. Well, she is now."

Momo was tempted to swoon.

A knight in shining armor (or shinigami with orange hair, in this case) rescuing the princess locked away in the tower?

It was so damned romantic she couldn't put words to it! (G'Kar AN: Nor can I! LONDO: I like romance, but this is getting sappier then I can handle.)

"Momo? You OK?"

"I'm just...moved. She gave you her powers, nearly got you killed, and yet you're coming to her rescue. You must really love her."

"Doesn't help that I still have her zanpakutō."

"I'll help you. Rukia seemed like a nice girl, so..."

"The more, the merrier."

Momo blinked in confusion.

"Huh?"

"It's an expression: more is better."

Momo nodded.

"I just hope we don't have to fight Captain Aizen."

'_I pray that we get to shove that fucking zanpakutō of his up his ass! Bastard's creepier then that idiot Kanonji_!'

"Shirayuki, his Lieutenant's right here."

Momo looked at him.

"Sorry: Sode no Shirayuki, Rukia's zanpakutō, was talking to me."

"You didn't even take a jinzen position! How can you do that?!"

"Rukia's asshole of a brother tried to stab me, she talked to me, I didn't die. Been talking to her and my own zanpakutō for weeks."

Momo had every right to be scared shitless.

And she was.

"Ichigo, that's a sign that you're only a few steps from Bankai."

'_Oh_, shit.'

'Shirayuki?'

'_Rukia's nowhere _near_ Bankai level! She knows it, I know it, even _you_ know it! This could be a bad thing_.'

'Why?'

_'If you know learn Bankai with me, I can't return to Rukia_!'

Ichigo's infamous scowl returned.

'Then we need to pick up the pace!'

Ichigo got up and untied Momo.

"We need to get to the Repentance Cell, quickly."

"Why? What's going on?"

"My extremely high spiritual power might make Shirayuki unlock her Bankai. And the longer I'm with her-"

"The closer you get to unlocking it!"

Hanataro and Ganju walked toward the two Reapers.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

"We need to hurry the hell up!"

"But we've got time before they try and execute her! Another 2 weeks!"

'_Judging by your spiritual power levels, I think we have less time then that, Ichigo: 6 days, maybe less_!'

"We don't even have that much time! The longer Shirayuki's with me, more power she absorbs! I'll be able to Bankai with her at this rate!"

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Not for Rukia! She's not even close to Bankai yet! She won't be able to use her if I learn Bankai with her!"

The two combat shinigami (as apposed to support, like Hanataro) ran off.

"Wait!"

G'KAR: This could be a problem for our heroes and heroines.

(Londo, in a shinigami uniform, walks over)

LONDO: You think?! If this keeps up, Kuchiki won't be a Shinigami anymore! What point would there be in this story?!

G'KAR: What are you wearing?

LONDO: Blame the Author. We got the same powers as a shinigami thanks to him.

(The skies darken)

BOTH: Uh-oh.

(In the sky are thousands of Soul Hunter ships)

G'KAR: Somehow, I believe I saw this coming.

LONDO: (Sigh) Where's a squadron of White Stars when you need them?

(In lieu of the White Stars, a few squadrons of Thunderbolts start attacking the Soul Hunters)

G'KAR: Good enough.

(Camera changes to the Author)

I know I haven't updated in a while, but the router we were using conked out for the last time, and we had a hard time getting our hands on a new one for obvious reasons. (That being money and availability)

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Enter Kenpachi Zaraki and Hollow Ichigo!

Ja Ne!


	10. Chapter 9: Captain of the 11th

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 9: Captain of the 11th/Inner Hollows: Ichigo Kurosaki/Orihime Inoue, Shinigami

Recap: The mission to rescue Rukia has taken a new turn as Ichigo discovers that unless he gets Sode no Shirayuki back to Rukia, the sword will unlock it's Bankai, and once that happens, Rukia will never be able to use her again. However, with the help of Momo Hinamori, Lieutenant of the 5th Division, Ichigo plans to get to the Repentance Cell-and Rukia-as fast as he can. But, as any soldier will tell you, a plan never survives first contact with the enemy. The enemy in this case is the infamous Captain of the 11th Division, Kenpachi Zaraki, who has been looking for Ichigo since meeting Ikkaku after his defeat. And what of Momo? The more time she spends around Ichigo, the more her power will grow, and he has shown that he can awaken one's Inner Hollow. Will her Inner hollow awaken like Ichigo's and Rukia's have? And what of the others? Did they survive contact with the enemy? Let's find out!

Momo decided she liked Ichigo.

He was like a more protective version of Toshiro, and a LOT more powerful.

Maybe it was because he had a girlfriend.

Maybe it was because he actually had a sister; two, actually.

Everything in her was telling her 'stay on his side, because you do not want to face him when he's pissed off'.

Ganju and Hanataro were only a few feet behind, but barely catching up.

"Could you two slow down?!"

"NO!"

Ichigo got annoyed by the streets and decided to go up.

He stabbed Zangetsu into the closest wall and started climbing.

"He's crazy."

"It works!"

Ganju used the cracks in the wall to follow Ichigo up.

Both Gotai 13 shinigami shrugged and followed them up.

Meanwhile, Ichigo had made his way up to the roof.

He got his first look at the Repentance Cell.

'There it is!'

Then he got the feeling something was trying to kill him. And something was: a giant man with a damaged sword. 'Who the hell is this asshole?!'

'Fuck me! That's Kenpachi Zaraki! Captain of the 11th Division!'

That was all Ichigo needed to know. This asshole was the reason for Ikkaku fighting him and for the 6 fucking hours he was chased through the Seireitei!

'Keep up your spiritual pressure, Ichigo! Only the strongest captains command the 11th!'

'Ikkaku told me, remember?!'

He drew Shirayuki out of her sheath, then released both zanpakutōs wordlessly.

"Oh, I'm liking this a lot. You're Ichigo Kurosaki, ne?"

'Fuck!'

With Orihime and Uryū

In one timeline, Orihime and Uryū ran into a member of the 3rd Division and nearly got killed in the process. This time, however, they were closer to Ichigo's position.

"That's Ichigo!"

Uryū was less excited: while he cared little for the Gotai 13, his grandfather drilled the names of their captains into his head.

And Ichigo was up against Kenpachi Zaraki, Captain of the 11th Division.

"He's up against the most powerful captain of the Gotai 13. I hate to say it, but-"

Orihime ran off, jumping across rooftops to get to Ichigo.

Uryū's thoughts?

'That girl is insane! Kurosaki will never return her feelings, and _still_ she goes to him?!'

Then again, as much as he hated it, Ichigo was the strongest out of all of them.

If he fell, they _all_ fell.

She was thinking either with her head or her heart or both.

'I hate when this happens.'

With Ichigo and company

Ichigo parried Kenpachi's sword with Shirayuki, then jumped back.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

He fired two blue spirit attacks at Zaraki, hitting him in the head.

Unlike Momo, however, he was far tougher and took little damage.

He was, however, bleeding from where the two shots hit him.

The giant Captain smiled.

'Is this guy a masochist or something?! He looks like he's enjoying himself!'

'_Few people can actually hurt him, Ichigo and he likes fighting! And yes, he might be a masochist_.'

He kept firing Getsuga Tensho after Getsuga Tensho, avoiding firing any from Shirayuki in order to make sure that they had more time.

Each shot hit the 11th Division Captain, forcing him back a little.

"Kido attacks from a melee zanpakutō? I'm not sure I'm liking you anymore, Kurosaki!"

"Blame Shirayuki! And if you don't want to fight, leave me alone!"

"Shirayuki? As in Sode no Shirayuki, that Kuchiki girl's sword?"

This made Kenpachi's grin return full force.

"Good!"

'_Oh, shit. He always wanted to put Rukia put her paces after Renji told him about her._'

'I thought Renji was in the 6th Division!'

'_He transferred to the 6__th__ from the 11__th__. That's how he knows_!'

"Fighting you should be like fighting her at the same time!"

He rushed at Ichigo, but the carrot-haired Reaper blocked the attack with Zangetsu before slashing at him with Shirayuki.

Then another sword entered Ichigo's field of view: Momo's.

"Snap, Tobiume!"

The Shikai blade hit him, but like in another timeline, all it did was cause Momo's hands to bleed.

And made the battle-obsessed man smile once more.

"So, defected to their side, Hinamori?!"

He attacked the 5th Division Lieutenant, but when he was stabbed by Shirayuki, he punched Ichigo in the face.

'Even two on one, all he does is enjoy himself! What the hell is it going to take to take this asshole out?!'

Then a number of blue arrows hit the crazy giant of a man.

'Uryū? I thought he wouldn't lift a finger to help me against a captain!'

Then a bright light hit Zaraki.

'Orihime. I thought so.'

"Four on one? I think that's just about even, Kurosaki!"

Kenpachi attacked Ichigo, who parried with Shirayuki, then fired a Getsuga at point-blank range at his face.

Momo managed to get a cut in with Tobiume, followed by Uryū firing a barrage of shots at the bell-wearing captain who seemed to be having the time of his life.

"This is insane!"

Zaraki charged at Ichigo, but Orihime got in his way.

She couldn't bring up her shield in time, so Orihime was impaled by Zaraki.

'_This seems familiar_.'

'He just _killed_ Orihime, Zangetsu!'

'_He stabbed her in the heart, Ichigo_.'

Ichigo remembered back to that night so long ago now.

'Oh. She's fucking lucky!'

A bright light enveloped Orihime, who kicked Zaraki in the face.

The light faded away, and in the old Orihime's place was one wearing a shinigami uniform, complete with an oddly-shaped zanpakutō.

She still had the faerie spirits, but now she could counterattack.

'_Ichigo_?'

'Yes, Shirayuki?'

'_Why is Orihime holding a khepesh? Zanpakutō are normally shaped like a katana_.'

'...Does Zangetsu look like a katana to you? And what the hell is a khepesh?'

'_It's an Egyptian sickle sword_.'

Ichigo noticed that it did, indeed, look like a sickle.

Zaraki simply laughed his ass off.

"You're a Substitute Shinigami now, huh, girly? Nice sword."

Orihime simply looked at the giant.

"Up yours."

'_Great, not only did he give her some of her powers, he gave her part of his personality, too_!'

'I don't think I'll be complaining.'

This Orihime was no long a push-over.

And Ichigo was liking her a lot better then the girl that was afraid to fight.

She attacked Zaraki, who actually started to get worried.

'Look's like I get to remove the eyepatch!'

Orihime's khepesh forced Zaraki's sword down and punched him gut.

He kicked the girl away from him, then removed the eyepatch.

All four were nearly forced to their knees as Zaraki's spiritual energy flared.

Of the four, Uryū was the closest, with Orihime following suit.

Momo barely kept her footing, and Ichigo?

He was pushed back a few feet, but otherwise, he was unaffected.

"It's been a while since I had to take that fucking thing off! Thanks, Kurosaki and friends!"

Ichigo trying parrying his attack, but Zaraki kicked him in the balls, then stabbed him through his left lung.

'_Ichigo? ICHIGO_!'

Another voice answered for Shirayuki.

'_**Sorry, Princess. King's taking a nap at the moment. But I'll take any messages you got for him**_.'

The voice was a clone of Ichigo's, but it echoed.

It was the voice of a Hollow.

'_Urahara, if he learns Bankai, I will materialize and kick your ass_!'

'_I second that, Shirayuki_.'

A partial mask formed on the left side of Ichigo's face, and his eyes turned black with yellow irises.

Zaraki had only felt fear once or twice.

Today?

Today was the day he felt it for the third time.

Kurosaki was powerful.

Extremely powerful, and more then a match for the Kenpachi of the 11th.

Now he had Hollow powers had his disposal.

Only one word described his situation: Fuck.

'A Captain-Level Shinigami with what feels like Vasto Lorde-Level Hollow powers. I don't know how this happened, but I'm just praying I survive it.'

The Semi-Hollowfied Ichigo kicked Zaraki in the gut, launching him into another building.

All three were too shocked to do anything but watch.

Uryū looked at Ichigo, who launched himself at Zaraki.

Momo voiced her thoughts on the situation.

"Is today I'm-Crazy-Day or something? First I learn he's got two zanpakutōs and now he's got Hollow powers? What's next, he gets Bankai fighting Captain Zaraki?"

Orihime shrugged.

"Fucked if I know, girly."

The shaking Hanataro and Ganju finally arrived on the roof.

"What just happened?"

With Ichigo

The center the fight between Zaraki and Hollow Ichigo was entering its' climax.

Ichigo was firing cero after cero at the Captain of the 11th, who actually tried deflecting them with his sword.

It was insane.

"Fuck me, what are you?!"

He was answered by a cero/Getsuga Tensho combo attack, which tore apart most of Zaraki's uniform. The Haori was long gone, along with all but the left sleeve and the pants were torn to hell and back.

Even at full power, Ichigo was kicking his ass.

Didn't mean he wasn't enjoying himself, though.

Zaraki then had a thought. '

Hey, sword? If you can hear me, I'd like a little help.'

No dice.

'Worth a try.'

Zaraki charged at the Hollow/Shinigami hybrid, but all he got was a cero/kido hybrid shot to the face.

It wasn't enough to kill him, but he wasn't getting up for a long time.

It was then that Ichigo retook control of his body. The mask crumbled and turned back into spirit energy.

'What the hell just happened?'

'_You have Hollow powers, you used them and kicked Zaraki's ass, that's what happened_!'

"Ichigo!"

The group finally caught up with him, including the shinigamified Orihime.

"What the fucking hell happened to you?"

'She's got Zaraki's mouth, that's for sure.'

Uryū pointed his bow at Ichigo.

"How the hell did you get Hollow powers? And don't lie to me!"

Ichigo gave him a look.

"I. Don't. Know. I just have them. Besides..."

He stuck his thumb out at Zaraki.

"I took him out."

Orihime gave him a look that usually belonged on Tatsuki's face.

"He's not dead, Ichigo."

"That's not why we're here."

Momo sighed.

"Shouldn't we be getting to the Repentance Cell rather then arguing about what the hell just happened?"

All six of them looked at Momo.

Orihime voiced their thoughts.

"Who the hell are you?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"She's a Gotai 13 Lieutenant: the 5th's, actually; Momo Hinamori. She's helping us get to Rukia."

"And you aren't getting any further."

'Fucking Christ, another Captain?!'

A short dark-haired woman jumped onto the rooftop, clearly a Captain.

'That's Suì-Fēng! Great. Just fucking great!'

'And she is?'

'Captain of the 2nd Division. And the fastest bitch in the Gotai 13.'

Suì-Fēng looked at Zaraki's twitching body.

"I am not sure I want to know what you did to him."

'Damned effective, though.'

Ichigo answered for her.

"Believe me, you don't want to know."

She looked at Momo.

"Lieutenant, I'm not sure why you're helping them. I also don't care. I suggest standing down before I'm forced to kill you."

Suì-Fēng was too focused on Momo to notice Ichigo perform Some no mai, Tsukishiro until her legs were frozen in place.

"What the fuck?!"

"That's getting too damned easy to do. Let's go!"

All 7 ran toward the entrance closest to the Repentance Cell.

And Suì-Fēng?

She was stuck in 3 feet of ice.

'How the hell did he not kill me? I've seen Kuchiki use that technique. It's usually lethal! And how the hell is he using Kuchiki's sword?'

She drew her sword and stabbed at the ice, which covered the blade within seconds.

"SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF THIS FUCKING THING!"

Two hours later

Yamamoto sighed.

Zaraki was down, his Lieutenant refused to do anything, Suì-Fēng was stuck in a block of ice and Hinamori was helping the Ryoka.

The Captain-General of the Gotai 13 rarely cursed.

In this case, however, he was allowed.

"Who the hell are we facing?"

The entire 11th Division was down for the count, Suì-Fēng was immobile and if they took out Zaraki, that was a bad sign. Aizen was also found dead.

The Ryoka weren't responsible for that one, though: he was found in his own barracks.

The last time this happened was when the 13th's Lieutenant was taken over by a Hollow!

How ironic that Rukia Kuchiki was responsible for ending that debacle and starting this one.

Their goal seemed to be breaking Kuchiki out of the cell, and he was tempted to just let them have her if it would end this chaos.

And while he didn't question the orders of the Central 46, he WAS wondering why the death penalty was imposed on such a minor crime.

It didn't matter, though: the law was the law, like it or not.

With the larger group

Ichigo and company were lying low in a warehouse, avoiding detection and trying to figure out where the hell Chad and Yoruichi were.

Also, they were working on figuring out Orihime's Egyptian-style zanpakutō.

"I can hear her, and she wants me to learn her name so I can release her."

"What's her name? What's it start with?"

"An N, I think."

Now that Orihime had time to recover from the unnaturally powerful pressure that was Zaraki and being given her powers, she seemed to be back to normal.

She fell backwards.

"Fuck!"

Well, she still had Zaraki's mouth.

That wasn't going away.

Uryū put his mind to work.

"As it's an Egyptian weapon, I'm going to assume it's an Egyptian name. How many gods are there in the Egyptian pantheon?"

"20."

They all looked at Ichigo.

"What? I read a book!"

"How many started with N?"

"Just two: both were women. I think one of them was Nut, the other was Isis' sister. I think she was called Nephthys?"

"The release word is 'Protect'."

"Nephthys. She protected the dead on their way to the underworld." "Protect, Nephthys!" A simple Egyptian-style wooden shield covered in leather appeared on her left arm, and the sword grew in size from 65cm to 95cm long. "Well, it lives up to its' name."

Uryū wasn't impressed.

"All it did was grow in size and give her a shield!"

"Uh, how do I turn back?"

'_Ichigo, I don't think it'll work for her._'

'Why?'

'_She gained her powers from _Kenpachi Zaraki_. His control is worse then yours _ever_ was. I think she's in permanent release. You got lucky with Rukia_.'

'On that, we can agree.'

"I don't think you can."

Orihime looked at Ichigo, who repeated what Shirayuki told him.

"Son of a bitch."

"Why don't we check your other powers, see if having Shinigami abilities does anything to them."

As they experimented, all hell broke loose outside.

Chad had completely torn apart the barracks for the 3rd, 5th and 9th Divisions, and was on his way to the Repentance Cell to join up with Ichigo and the others.

As for Yoruichi?

The cat visited Suì-Fēng and laughed her ass off at her old student as she continued to try and break free of the ice.

The casualties begin to mount in Ichigo Kurosaki's War on Heaven, and the execution of Rukia Kuchiki is pushed back thanks to Captains Suì-Fēng and Kenpachi Zaraki being...indisposed. And what of Lieutenant Momo Hinamori? She grew in strength to fight Zaraki in a short time, but there a severe consequences to gaining such powers so quickly. We'll find out if she suffers this in the next chapter!

(The Soul Society is in ruins, but the Gotai 13 kicked the Soul Hunters out)

AUTHOR: I'm going to need to fix that later.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: The Gotai 13 intensify their hunt for the Ryoka, forcing Ichigo to get to the Repentance Cell faster then he expected, where he runs into someone he did not want to run into: Renji Abarai, Lieutenant of the 6th Division.

Ja Ne!


	11. Chapter 10: Rukia Freed!

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 10: Captain of the 10th/Inner Hollows: Momo Hinamori/

Recap: The Seireitei is ablaze with not only fire, but chaos as Ichigo Kurosaki marches toward the Repentance Cell to rescue Rukia Kuchiki. During a fight with Kenpachi Zaraki, Orihime Inoue absorbed some of the brutish captain's powers, becoming a Substitute Shinigami like Ichigo. During the course of this battle, Ichigo used his Inner Hollow to beat Zaraki into unconsciousness, but with the help of Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu, he regained control before Ichigo was forced to kill him. However, this wasn't the only problem: Momo Hinamori, the Lieutenant of the 5th Division, has increased in strength due to Ichigo's presence. Unfortunately, they have no idea that the longer she is around him, the more the seals around her Inner Hollow degrade. And that is not their only problem, as the 12th Division has been given free reign to find the Ryoka and take them out. And what about Chad and Yoruichi? Or Rukia for that matter? Read on to find out!

Momo poked her head out of the warehouse they were using to hide from the Gotai 13. "Looks like the 12th Division's been loosed."

"What's so bad about 12th Division?"

'They're the research and development squad.'

"Eggheads. Great."

Momo looked at Ichigo.

"Huh?"

"Shirayuki told me what the 12th Division was."

"What's an 'egghead'?"

Uryū stood up.

"It's a scientific insult. Stereotypical scientists are usually depicted with oversized heads, hence-"

Both Momo and Ichigo spoke as one.

"Eggheads."

"Exactly."

"While he doesn't have an oversized head, Mayuri Kurotsuchi is a definite egghead. A mad egghead, at that."

Something exploded nearby, and Ichigo got ready for another fight.

It turned out, however, to be Chad, who walked toward the group as soon as he saw Ichigo.

'Looks like Chad unleashed a can of whoop-ass on the 12th, eh, Shirayuki?'

'_Ichigo, if there is anyone I do _not_ want you do fight, it would be Sado_.'

"Hey, Chad, where's Yoruichi?"

"I don't know. He just left."

Then Ichigo saw white.

And it wasn't a good white, either.

'_GET DOWN_!'

Ichigo obeyed Zangetsu's order and pulled Chad down with him.

Ice coated the warehouse, sealing it up.

"Well, it's about time I found you, Ryoka."

Ichigo groaned.

'Why does everyone keep calling us that?'

'_Ichigo, I'd be more worried about the Captain trying to kill you_.'

The captain was barely taller then Rukia, although he was if you counted his hair, which was standing up.

"And you are?"

"Toshiro Hitsugaya, Captain of the 10th Division."

_'Oh._ Him.'

'Anything I should know?'

'_Just that he's a captain-level version of Rukia with your temper_.'

"I remember you from the report Captain Kuchiki submitted: Ichigo Kurosaki. Although I wonder how you have TWO zanpakutō rather then one. But that doesn't matter."

He sent a wave of frozen spiritual energy toward Ichigo and Chad, who dodged with ease.

'This is getting ridiculous.'

He drew both Zangetsu and Shirayuki, then released both blades. Hitsugaya, however, had one thought.

'This could be a problem.'

The problem was about to get worse as the ice shattered and out of it came a pissed off-and in Shikai, no less-Orihime Inoue.

"Koten Zanshun, I reject!"

The force of Orihime's offensive attack sent Hitsugaya flying toward a wall. And he went through 4 more before coming to a complete and total stop.

Tsubaki, the spirit responsible for the attack, returned to the girl's hairclips.

Both men looked at her.

"I got pissed off. Don't I got the right?"

_'Ichigo, she's using Zaraki's inflections_.'

'I know. Somehow, I think she's better for it.'

But Toshiro wasn't down for the count.

He got up and charged at Orihime, who deflected his blow with her new shield, then pushed his blade down with her own before bashing him in the face with the shield itself.

'Good God, it's like I'm fighting Zaraki, only shorter, less powerful and a girl!'

It got worse as her zanpakutō was basically designed to trap an enemy's blade while she used the shield as an offensive weapon as well as defensively.

It was also a foreign design, so he had few, if any, ideas on how to fight the girl that seemed to be a clone of Zaraki and his own Lieutenant, if only in gender and body shape.

"Toshiro!"

He looked over and saw his childhood friend, Momo Hinamori, walk out of the ruins of the warehouse. "Momo! What the hell are you doing here?!"

"They're not here to fight us! They just want Rukia freed!"

Two thoughts went through his head: one, they were telling the truth and they were simply just forced to fight everyone to get to the Repentance Cell.

Two, they had lied to Momo and she had sided with them, poisoning her with their lies.

And judging from her lack of hostility toward the Ryoka, he went with option two.

And she had clearly sided with them.

"Captain!"

His rather well-endowed Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, joined the fight, attacking Ichigo and Chad.

"Well, this is fucking great!"

Uryū had joined the fray as well, opening fire on both shinigami.

The pair dodged his attacks, but they had one problem: Momo.

While conflicted, she had decided to side with Ichigo and the other Ryoka.

"Rangiku, the other girl is your problem. Kurosaki is mine."

"What about Momo and the other two?"

"Use your Shikai if you have to."

Rangiku smirked.

"Got it!"

She attacked Orihime, who blocked the equally endowed woman's attack with her shield before countering with the Egyptian sickle-sword.

While Rangiku avoided dying, she did lose a lot of hair dodging the new Substitute's attack.

Uryū and Chad decided to help Orihime while Ichigo engaged Hitsugaya.

Momo attacked Toshiro, but was not intending to kill him, only to disable him.

'_**Come on, Peachy! Take him out**_!'

Momo blinked. 'Who-Tobiume, was that you?'

'_**Fucking hell, Peach, you're stupid! Do I **_**sound**_** like Tobiume to you**_?!' '

She then recognized the voice: it was hers, only...doubled. Hollow.

'What the hell is happening to me?!'

She barely avoided by hit by Toshiro's zanpakutō, and was only saved by Ichigo using Shirayuki to parry the attack.

At that moment, Momo's spiritual energy spiked.

At that moment, it was Captain-Level.

She stuck back, hitting Toshiro's zanpakutō and launching him at Rangiku.

'_Oh, shit. Ichigo, I think what happened to _you_ is happening to _her!'

And Shirayuki was right: the same thing happened, but unlike Ichigo, whose Hollow powers were damn near Vasto Lorde-Level, Momo was lower, at a low-level Adjuchas. (AN: I always wondered how the ranking system worked, so I decided to work it around that of the Gotai 13. A Vasto Lorde is a Captain-Level Hollow, but can be a lot stronger then a shinigami captain. Adjuchas are Lieutenant-Level, but can be as strong as a captain of the Gotai 13. Menos Grande are the equivalent to ranked Gotai 13 officers. The rest are akin to unseated shinigami)

Momo didn't have a mask on, but her eyes were black and yellow, like most Hollows.

"**Kurosaki! Get your ass moving**!"

Ichigo blinked.

"Wha-"

"**Your Queen's waiting for you at the damned tower! Move your ass! I'll take care of these two**." Orihime walked up beside her.

"You'll need my help. Kurosaki-kun, get to Rukia!"

Ichigo wanted to not go, but Hollow Momo and Orihime actually could handle the Captain and Lieutenant.

Ganju and Hanataro, who had stayed in the ruins to avoid detection, got the hell out of there.

Chad and Uryū backed off, not wanting to get caught between a fight between a Hollowfied Lieutenant, Orihime and the leaders of the 10th Division.

Uryū knew what a Gillian-Class Menos Grande could do and he wasn't in the mood to get between something more powerful and three more shinigami.

Chad didn't want to go, but he had a feeling that he wasn't needed in this battle.

Ichigo wanted to stay, but Rukia needed him, and quickly.

With Toshiro and Rangiku

Toshiro Hitsugaya did not want to fight Momo.

Not in her currant state, at least.

Her shinigami abilities were now on par with his own, and her newly unlocked Hollow abilities were at Adjuchas-Level.

And the other girl, Orihime, had a two-part zanpakutō made of a sickle-sword and shield.

Fighting the two would not be easy, nor would the two come out unharmed.

A mask formed on Momo's face, covering her forehead and the right side of her head, with it extending to cover her nose and right eye.

Slashing attacks would be almost pointless in wounding Momo with that mask covering her head.

"Momo? Can you hear me?"

"**Sorry, Ice Man, Peach ain't around at the moment. Please leave a message after the beep**."

Both shinigami blinked.

"**It's a fucking joke! Aw, screw it**!"

She charged up a fireball with her sword and fired it at Toshiro.

"Oh, shit!"

Rangiku charged at Momo, but Orihime intercepted the woman with her own blade before delivering a blow to her head with her foot.

"You want to fight?! FIGHT ME!"

Rangiku snarled.

"Growl, Haineko!"

The sword turned to ash, and Orihime countered with a defense of her own.

"Shiten Kōshun, I reject!"

The ash impacted the shield, and was reflected back at Rangiku.

"Son of a bitch!"

She canceled out her Shikai before impact, but that didn't stop the now-killer Orihime from charging the Lieutenant with her nasty-looking Shikai.

Rangiku tried blocking, but she failed to notice the shield, which batted the sword out of the way.

Only the tip of the blade hit Rangiku, but the strike would leave a nasty scar running from right side of her hairline to her jaw.

Meanwhile, Momo and Toshiro had gotten into a massive battle between fire and ice, and the former element was winning.

Cero and kido fireballs rushed at Toshiro, who was having increasing difficulty blocking the attacks.

'To hell with this! This isn't Momo: it's just some Hollow that took control of her body!'

"Bankai: Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"

Toshiro released his Bankai, forming ice wings and a tail on his back.

"**I was wondering when you'd do that! Time to up the ante**!"

The mask completely formed on her face, giving her full access to her Hollow powers.

And those were at seven-tenths the power Ichigo had when her Hollow started waking up.

In short?

Hitsugaya was just praying he would survive Momo's first attack.

A beach ball-sized Cero/Kido fireball formed on the tip of her blade, terrifying Toshiro even more.

He decided retreat was better then getting his ass whooped.

"Matsumoto, let's get the hell out of here!"

Orihime was kicking the Lieutenant's ass.

"Like that's happening!"

She kicked Matsumoto into Toshiro, and Momo fired the Kiro (Cero/Kido hybrid) shot at the pair.

A scene from a _Star_ _Trek_ movie would later remind the two of this incident.

"Son of a-"

BOOM!

With Ichigo

'_YOW! _That_ had to hurt_!'

Ichigo nodded as he finally made it to the bridge connecting the Repentance Cell to the rest of the Seireitei.

On it was a giant pain in the ass: Renji, with his zanpakutō out on his shoulder. '

Great. Him again.'

Renji walked toward the group, and he was not in a good mood.

"Out of my way, Abarai!"

"Sorry, Kurosaki, but I can't let you get her out of that cell! As much as I want to step aside, I can't!"

"Then it looks like I'll have to kick your ass, then give Rukia her sword back!"

Renji blinked.

"WHAT?"

Then he noticed Shirayuki, in her released form.

Like everyone else, he was going to regret getting in Ichigo's way, as Ichigo's unholy reiatsu levels + Sode no Shirayuki = frozen area the size of the Vatican City.

But that was later.

For now, he had to face Ichigo, who had both swords out.

"Howl, Zabimaru!"

Renji's Shikai went straight for Ichigo, who blocked it with Zangetsu.

'Sorry, Shirayuki!'

'What?!'

"GETSUGA TENSHO!"

A blue wave launched from Shirayuki, heading straight for Renji.

"FUCK!"

He had to jump to avoid getting hit, retracting his Shikai in the process.

The attack hit the door leading to the cell, destroying it.

No matter what, Ichigo won, because Rukia was practically free.

"Well, Renji, looks like I win even if you kill me!"

Renji looked back and saw Ichigo's point.

'Note to self: don't get hit by that attack.'

Renji dropped the zanpakutō and put his hands over his head.

He knew better then to fight when Rukia was behind him, directly or not.

"Good idea, Renji. Chad, if you please?"

The giant walked over to Renji and hit him over the head, knocking him out.

With Rukia

Rukia was having a long and detailed talk with her Inner Hollow when the door leading to her cell exploded.

'_**That's the King**_!'

Rukia stood up and got to the door just in time to see Chad hit Renji over the head, and thus knock the poor bastard out.

Then again, that was the point: Ichigo wasn't trying to destroy the Soul Society.

He was trying to free her.

And he succeeded.

She tried leaving the cell, but her energy was dangerously low thanks to the damned Sekki-Sekki rock.

Ichigo, instead, came to her, stepping over Renji's body and ran to the cell.

He stopped in front of Rukia, panting slightly.

Rukia jumped into his arms.

"About. Damn. Time!"

Then her robes changed from pure white to her normal shinigami uniform.

'What the fuck just happened?'

'Ichigo, she took some of your spirit energy. She's back at full power.'

Shirayuki probed her mistress.

'Holy shit, she's more powerful then before! Quick, hand me over to her!'

Ichigo chuckled, then handed Shirayuki over to Rukia.

"Here. I think I've had her long enough."

'_Hey_!'

'Oh, don't take it like that! Besides, she was only lending you to me.'

'_Ichigo, I had been checking on what was happening to Shirayuki. She has become your second zanpakutō_. _Permanently_.'

'Son of a bitch! It was all for nothing?!'

'_Not exactly. What happened to _her_ happened to _me.'

Ichigo blinked.

'Are you telling me that Rukia can use you, too, Zangetsu?'

'_In as many words_.'

Then a second sword appeared on Ichigo's hip.

It was a copy of Shirayuki.

'What the hell?'

'_Looks like there's a permanent link between you and Rukia, Ichigo: you have enough power to make sure there's two of me at once, and Rukia's got enough for a weaker-but still deadly-version of Zangetsu_!'

As if on cue, a smaller version of Ichigo's sealed zanpakutō appeared on Rukia's back.

'I'm not sure whether to be scared or not.'

"What the hell? Why do you still have Shirayuki when-"

Then she noticed the miniature Zangetsu on her back.

"Oh."

Then both felt a familiar presence.

It was Byakuya Kuchiki, who had made it past Uryū and Chad with zero difficulty.

"Oh, shit."

The older Kuchiki looked at Rukia, then noticed the four swords they both shared.

"I do not know how you have two zanpakutōs each, but they will not help you now, Kurosaki."

Rukia drew her Zangetsu.

"That's what you think!"

She subconsciously fired a Getsuga Tensho at Byakuya, who barely dodged in time.

Rukia blinked.

"That's new."

"It's one of Zangetsu's attacks. A lot of my power bleed into Shirayuki, and she gained a few of Zangetsu's abilities."

'_I'm working on figuring out what I gained and what I didn't, but that attack was one of them. You should've seen the look on Zaraki's face when he got hit by a super-charged one_!'

Rukia blinked at hearing Shirayuki outside her mindscape, but when Ichigo gave her a knowing smile, it seemed it was commonplace for him.

He drew both his version of Shirayuki and Zangetsu.

"Hey, Byakuya!"

The 6th Division captain was still reeling from dodging the high-speed attack that Rukia shot at him.

"I think this time, we're going to win!"

Byakuya checked Rukia's reiatsu levels and nearly widened his eyes in shock.

Rukia's reiatsu was on par with Sajin Komamura's!

And he didn't even want to know where Kurosaki was at.

Of course, want and need are two different things.

He checked.

And he nearly pissed himself.

It was at Kenpachi Zaraki's level, if not slightly higher!

Fighting two now-Captain-Level shinigami would be hard, and he knew the once the other two woke up, he would be outgunned and outnumbered four to one.

Then Hitsugaya and his Lieutenant slammed into the tower, followed by a long haired woman in a shinigami uniform with an odd sword and a shield.

'Three to one, and even if the girl isn't at their level, my Shikai isn't going to hold all three of them off at once. And I don't think that girl shot those two into the tower.'

He glanced over his shoulder and saw Hinamori with a Hollow-type mask on.

'She's betrayed us? With Aizen dead, her mind could be pliable enough to be turned against the Gotai 13. And that mask...What is it and where did she get it, along with that power?'

Byakuya decided that the odds were anything but in his favor: Bankai or no, one of them could still kill him should they survive, and if Kurosaki was any indication, he could survive **anything.**

He decided to avoid getting attacked, rescue Hitsugaya and his Lieutenant, then get the hell out of there, in that order.

"At the moment, Kurosaki, you win. I cannot fight you and your comrades along with assuring my own survival at this time. But you will not escape the Seireitei alive. _That_ I can assure you of."

Orihime jumped at Byakuya, using the walls of the Repentance Cell as a booster to attack the Captain. While she was fast, he was faster, and dodged her strike.

He grabbed the leaders of the 10th and got out of there as fast as his shunpo could move him.

Orihime raged at the retreating Byakuya, and Rukia sweatdropped at the sight.

Of course, she was curious as to how Orihime got shinigami powers.

"What happened to her?"

Ichigo sheathed his Shirayuki and Zangetsu.

"She got stabbed by Kenpachi Zaraki."

Rukia looked at him. "

The Captain of the 11th? And she _survived?"_

Ichigo shrugged.

"Same thing that happened to me happened to her, I guess."

Rukia looked at her boyfriend.

"He can't control his reiatsu worth _shit,_ Ichigo. While she gained shinigami powers from him, it's not the same thing. I had to force spirit energy into my blade to give you my powers. He didn't need to."

'_**Hey, Queen! Tell him about me**_!'

Rukia winced. He would hate her for it.

"Uh, Ichigo-"

"I've got an Inner Hollow."

She looked at him.

"What?"

"I'm not sure how it happened, but all I know is I'm thankful Shirayuki was with me, because I don't think Zangetsu could control him alone."

'No offense.'

'_None taken, Ichigo_.'

"Wow. We're more alike then I thought." Ichigo looked at her.

"Huh?"

"I've got one, too, Ichigo."

With their mission a success, Ichigo and Rukia are reunited at last, but dark forces are on the horizon. With the use of Hollow powers from both Momo and Ichigo, the Gotai 13 will send everything they have at them. And what of the two captains of the 3rd and 9th Divisions and the mighty Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Captain-General of the Gotai 13? Will they engage Ichigo and Rukia in combat? In fact, will they even get out of the Seireitei alive? The only way to find out is to tune in next time!

Status of Inner Hollows for shinigami encountered by Ichigo Kurosaki as of this chapter

Ichigo Kurosaki: Unsealed; near Vasto Lorde-Level

Rukia Kuchiki: Unsealed; extremely high Adjuchas-Level

Orihime Inoue: Sealed; unknown

Momo Hinamori: Unsealed; low Adjuchas-Level

Renji Abarai: Sealed; unknown

Toshiro Hitsugaya: Sealed; unknown, presumed high Adjuchas to Vasto Lorde-Level

Rangiku Matsumoto: Sealed; unknown

Kenpachi Zaraki: Unknown on both counts

Yoruichi Shihōin: Sealed, but weakening; unknown

Suì-Fēng/Shaolin Fēng: Unknown on both counts

Ikkaku Madarame: Unknown on both counts

(Sitting in a restored Seireitei is the Author, with a picture of Orihime in her shinigamified state)

AUTHOR: And now a complete explanation of Orihime's zanpakutō.

Nephthys

Name means: Lady of the Mansion (Egyptian)

Sealed state: An Ancient Egyptian bronze khepesh, or sickle-sword (No longer useable thanks to high amounts of spiritual energy and pressure; now stuck in permanent release state)

Shikai: A longer khepesh and a wooden shield covered in leather; release word 'Protect'. (Release word comes from the Egyptian goddess of the same name's role in protecting the dead on their way to the underworld)

Bankai (not gained until a battle with Sosuke Aizen): Sword turns from bronze to steel, shield gains metal covering and Orihime wears Egyptian-style chainmail tunic under shinigami uniform to increase protective properties along with a vulture-shaped helmet. Release words: Bankai, Anubis, son of Nephthys (Release comes from the fact that, in Egyptian mythos, Anubis, the son of Osiris by Nephthys, (despite her marriage to Seth) is the god of mummification, and as such is another guardian of the dead)

Abilities: Mainly like Zangetsu, minus Getsuga Tensho, plus a shield that can be used as either a weapon or a protective measure; immune to hypnotism Shikai and can grant immunity to others for a short time; can use Getsuga Tensho-type attack called _Konton no Hi (_Fires of Chaos) (takes name from Nephthys' position as Seth's wife, as her husband is the god of chaos and confusion)

Drawbacks: Mostly melee-use only; as she gained her shinigami powers from Kenpachi Zaraki, Orihime takes some of his traits, including his tenancy to curse and the desire to prove oneself the strongest of all, but her original personality downplays this greatly, resulting in Orihime normally just cursing more then normal and charging headlong into the enemy without thinking at times

Advantages: Durable shield in Shikai that cannot be broken in Bankai; enhances original powers by a factor of three or more, especially in Bankai state

Spirit: A doppelganger of Suì-Fēng wearing Egyptian-style robes, but height is akin to Ichigo with a bust and hairstyle akin to Tatsuki (both post Aizen's defeat); wears sword form on her left hip and constantly has shield (Bankai form) on left arm; her personality is motherly, but ruthless when Orihime (and thus herself) is threatened, and stern when Orihime is being stupid

AUTHOR: In short, I have made Orihime into a much tougher character, but she remains, at her core, her original self. At most, she will still on the sidelines most of the time, but can rush in to make the enemy's life a living hell at a moment's notice should she need to. Also-

(A familiar tune starts playing)

AUTHOR: Wait a second. What the hell is that music?!

(Then the source appears: a Warthog. And not just any Warthog, either: it's the _Red vs Blue_ Warthog)

AUTHOR: Oh, shit! It's those guys! Get the hell out of here!

(Scene fades)

It's official as it's going to get, people: _Red vs Blue_ is over. With _RWBY_ entering production, this means I can get _Reds and Blues of the Old Republic_ rewritten at last. I know fans of that story have been waiting for over a year for me to get off my ass and get to it, but Rooster Teeth was always the deciding factor, as I needed _RvB_ to end for me to do my job.

It's over now, so those that were impatient for me to write it out are getting their wish. However, the _RvB_ crew will live on in the hearts of millions of their fans, and in this case, another one of my stories and challenges, both of which are the same, but you can do with the challenge as you wish, as long as the basics are obeyed.

But now I'm starting to ramble. Not a good sign.

My next update will be a _Challenge Depot_ one, so read up on them!

Also, Skywalker T-65 has reviewed and favorited this version of _White Sun Rising_. I have to say, I'm honored. When the original author tells you you're doing a good job... Well, can't let it go to my head. Tite Kubo didn't write _White Sun Rising_, after all: a fan of his did, and he did a hell of a job until he put it up for adoption. If the creator of _Bleach_ did do just that, then you'd have the right for an ego trip for about five minutes.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising:_ With Rukia in tow, Ichigo and his new friends from the Gotai 13 run into a man thought dead by the rest of the Soul Society.

Ja Ne!


	12. Chapter 11: The Traitor Revealed!

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 11: The Traitor Revealed!/Gin Ichimaru vs Orihime Inoue/Bankai: Anubis, Son of Nephthys!

Recap: Rukia is free, and with a little help from Orihime, her brother is driven off. Now our heroes and heroines must try to regroup and get the hell out of the Seireitei before the remaining captains and lieutenants finally decide to attack the Ryoka and finish them off. However, Byakuya Kuchiki and Toshiro Hitsugaya are about to discover that Rukia's execution orders were falsified in the worse possible way, and Gin Ichimaru is closing in on the group.

Rukia Kuchiki was still learning about her newly acquired zanpakutō.

She knew about its' basic abilities (Getsuga Tensho and augmented healing being the most obvious) but she knew nothing about its' Shikai or what else it could do.

Was it like Ichigo's version of Zangetsu or was it different?

And then there was the bleed over of powers from Zangetsu to Shirayuki and vice versa.

Neither Zangetsu could perform the Dances, but they did make kido control much easier for both of them while both zanpakutōs could use Getsuga Tensho.

And then there was their respective Bankai, which, according to both Shirayuki and Zangetsu, the two shinigami were mere steps from unlocking thanks to Ichigo's ungodly high spiritual pressure.

This did not mean they did not need the training in how to actually use it, however.

That was the only thing keeping them from using their Bankai.

Orihime and Momo, however, did not have that issue.

Momo had been trying to get Bankai for years in order to make herself a better Lieutenant for the 5th Division, while Orihime's zanpakutō spirit was constantly in Bankai and was teaching Orihime how to unlock it.

And this had happened in the 2 days since Rukia was freed from the Repentance Cell.

"Wonder what happened to the 12th Division."

Momo looked out of the building they were using to hide in.

"They might be trying to set up traps to capture us. They aren't exactly a combat division. That's the 11th's job."

"And look what happened to them."

Rukia smiled at the thought that he and the others (mostly Ichigo, though) had taken out the entire 11th Division just to rescue her.

"Ichi!"

Ok, maybe not the ENTIRE 11th Division.

The voice belonged to Yachiru _K_usajishi, Zaraki's adopted daughter/lieutenant.

Ichigo drew Zangetsu, but Yachiru wasn't coming to fight them.

She mostly stayed with Zaraki, watching him kick the living shit out his opponents.

In this case, though, she was on runner duty.

She pointed her head inside the building and looked at the group.

"Hi! I got something from Shiro-Chan for you, Ichi!"

She handed him a letter, then jumped off, clearly heading for the 4th Division barracks.

"Well, that's a relief."

He opened the sealed note and scowled.

"He wants to talk to us. And he's got Byakuya with him."

He scowled.

"I'm not falling for this."

Momo stood up.

"Toshiro may be the youngest captain on the Gotai 13, but he's not a lair. I've known him since I was a little girl. If he says he just wants to talk, he just wants to talk."

"Still, Byakuya's there, and he didn't exactly part on the nicest terms, Momo."

"You scared the shit out of him and he was outnumbered 3 to 1."

Chad and Uryū looked at Orihime.

"What?"

"The way you're talking scares me, Orihime."

"My point is, even with Hitsugaya, he's outnumbered 4 to 1. Three to one, if Hitsugaya's lieutenant's with them."

Rukia stood up.

"Or two to one if Renji's there. It doesn't matter. If we can settle this without killing or hurting any more people, that's fine by me."

_'____I agree with Rukia, Ichigo__.' _

_'_I do too, Zangetsu, but I still got the feeling that this is a bad idea.'

_'____**Nothing to worry about, King! You got me with you**__!' _

_Ichigo sighed at his Inner Hollow's voice. _

While more subdued then he would have been without Shirayuki helping keep him down, he was still quite vocal.

Still, he knew his place.

"Alright, we'll meet with them. But if they try anything, and I mean ANYTHING, I reserve the right to Getsuga Tensho him first."

Momo didn't like that he was threatening Toshiro, but she did see his point.

"Agreed."

He checked outside to see if the coast was clear and it was.

"Let's go."

The group moved out, not knowing that they were being watched by Suì-Fēng, who had finally broken out of the ice.

While her orders to take them out were clear, she was curious as to how Kuchiki had two swords, just like Kurosaki, and how the hell he took out most of the 11th Division, its' Third Seat and its' captain.

With Toshiro and Byakuya

Both men had their Lieutenants with them, and they carried disturbing news.

They had discovered that the leaders of the Soul Society, the Central 46, were all dead: they were for well over a month, judging by the dried blood.

As Rukia's execution order came from 3 weeks ago, it was clear that they were forged.

Kurosaki couldn't have done this, as he was still in the world of the living at the time and would have had no reason to kill them, even to protect Rukia: he simply would have done what he was doing now.

The 'war' against Kurosaki and his comrades no longer carried any meaning nor had a point: both parties were conned.

Both captains had told their divisions to stand down and await further orders and sent messengers to the other captains about what was happening.

That still didn't explain how they continued to receive orders from the Central 46 after their deaths.

Either way, it was time to end this stupidity.

"Captain, the Ryoka are coming this way!"

"Keep your weapon sheathed, Matsumoto. We have no reason to fight them at the moment, and I would like to keep it that way."

The memory of Momo firing what was, for lack of a better term, the spiritual equivalent of a photon torpedo at them and surviving just to get launched into the Repentance Cell by that girl Inoue was still fresh in his mind.

He still had three cracked and bruised ribs each from that.

The group was led by Ichigo Kurosaki, followed closely by Rukia Kuchiki, who both had two swords each.

How, Hitsugaya didn't know, but they did worry him in that if Rukia had just one of Kurosaki's abilities, both Captains would be hard pressed to fight back.

"Rukia. Kurosaki."

Rukia put one hand on the second sword on her back's hilt at Byakuya's tone.

'And she knows how to use it. Damn.'

"Nii-sama. Captain Hitsugaya. Lieutenant Matsumoto."

She looked at Renji and narrowed her eyes.

"Renji."

The redhead was taken aback by Rukia's hostile tone.

'Forget Byakuya: **Rukia** scares me more then her brother ever will.'

"Why did you ask for us to come here?"

"This war is over, Kurosaki: we were both conned into fighting. The order to execute Rukia was unlawful, as the piece for doing what she did would be a month's imprisonment in her squad's barracks. No more, no less."

"Then why the hell did you do what you did?"

Toshiro looked at Rukia.

"Because it hasn't happened in over 400 years, and none of us were around back then. It took Lieutenant Ise looking into the records to figure that out. Also, only the Central 46 can order an execution unless it's a time of war."

He sighed.

"And we just found out that they're all dead."

Rukia looked at the Captain of the 10th Division.

"What?"

"They've been dead for over a month. The orders came AFTER they were murdered."

The Quincy looked at him.

"What?! How-"

"We don't know, but it happened. The orders weren't questioned because this was the first time it had happened during our captaincies."

He sighed.

"Of course, it took you getting her out of the Repentance Cell and kicking the living shit out of the 11th and 12th Divisions for us to learn what the punishment was supposed to be!" The girl with the foreign zanpakutō growled.

"That doesn't answer our fucking question, Whitey! Who the fuck is responsible for this shit?!"

Then they heard a chuckle.

It was Gin Ichimaru, zanpakutō in hand.

"Well, I wasn't expectin' this! Two Captains and their Lieutenants workin' with the Ryoka? That's unheard of!"

"Ichimaru. I should have known."

"Oh, no, Hitsugaya! I ain't in charge o' this! Sure, I played along, but I didn't kill the Central 46 guys: not into killing defenseless people unless I have to. And I didn't have to."

"Then who?!"

A brown haired man with glasses on walked in, smiling.

"That would be me."

All the Gotai 13 shinigami were shocked.

Sosuke Aizen was still alive and had just admitted to mass murder!

This broke down whatever was keeping Momo's Hollow in check, as it took control and fired off a trio of ceros at Aizen, who was clearly shocked at the sight.

Both captains dodged the attacks, but that wasn't the only problem.

His zanpakutō's Shikai hypnotized anyone who saw it, so any attack pointed at him should have missed.

Those shots were on target.

VERY on target, if what was left of his left pant leg had anything to say about it.

And while this distressed Aizen greatly, the fact that Momo had Hollow powers was far, far worse.

It meant A) she was on par with him, if only barely and B) any loyalty he could have once lorded over her was gone thanks to her new Inner Hollow, which clearly did NOT like him at all.

But that went back to step one: how did she nearly hit him?

Then he looked at the other girl, Orihime and noticed the design of her sword. It was foreign, and he knew it as an Asiatic blade. Then he identified it: an Ancient Egyptian khepesh.

'She could be why Momo nearly hit me!'

Red energy coursed from the tang to the tip of the sickle-sword.

"Konton no Hi!"

Four waves of energy rushed toward Aizen and Aizen alone: Ichimaru was forced to retreat after Momo started lobbing ceros in his general direction.

Aizen wasn't in the mood to get hit by those either.

"You. What is the name of your zanpakutō?"

"None of your fucking business!"

Aizen's eyes widened at her choice of words.

He had watched Ichigo since he gained his powers, and Orihime was a kind, if slightly stupid, girl.

Now she acted like...Zaraki...

'Shit. Zaraki gave her shinigami powers.'

"But if you want to know, it's Nephthys!"

'Seth's wife, whose husband is the chaos of chaos and confusion. That explains everything.'

Aizen's zanpakutō was the epitome of chaos and confusion, while Orihime's new blade made her immune to its' powers.

And, judging from Momo, it had an area effect.

'Getting the Hōgyoku will be more of a pain now. Kurosaki, I loathe how you make everything I do pointless.'

First, he broke Rukia out of the cell without any trouble when he assumed that Kurosaki wouldn't be able to.

Second, Momo, Kurosaki and Rukia had Hollow powers.

That wasn't supposed to happen.

Period.

Third, The Gotai 13 were no longer after the Ryoka, although this was a mixed blessing, as they were not after him, either.

And fourth, he now had 4 shinigami, two captains and two lieutenants, after him.

While he was sure he could win against the leaders of the 6th and 10th Divisions, Kurosaki, his comrades and even Momo were now complete and total wildcards.

He knew he could beat the five Gotai 13 shinigami, but he doubted that he could survive the Ryoka.

In short?

'Screw this, and screw the Hōgyoku! I'm leaving!'

Sure, his plans would be MUCH harder to accomplish, but it was either run or fight and most likely die either victoriously or in combat.

Hate him if you want, but Aizen was anything but stupid, so retreat was the wisest option.

Unfortunately, Momo's Hollow had full control and was out for blood.

Sucks to be Aizen.

He had to draw Kyōka Suigetsu in order to keep Momo's blade from cutting his head off.

He idly wondered why the others weren't trying to kill him as well when he saw the stupefied looks on their faces.

Rukia and the other Gotai 13 shinigami were shocked at Momo's ferocity while Ichigo and the others were either impressed or slightly terrified. (Impressed from Orihime and Ichigo, slight fear from all but Orihime)

Ichimaru had returned and he decided to attack the group.

Orihime, however, was ready for him and jumped to intercept.

The oversized recurved blade almost broke his sword in half (a khepesh being slightly heavier then a katana due to its' size and shape) and he didn't want to fight her on her terms.

Or any terms, for that matter.

"Shoot to kill, Shinsō!"

The blade shot from the hilt and made contact with Orihime's shield, but it did not break.

'Uh-oh.'

It DID, however, piss off the girl using it. (AN: Insert 'over 9000' joke here)

Orihime pulled a VERY Zaraki-like trick with a column of reiatsu, complete with an extremely unnerving laugh.

Ichigo and Rukia looked from the Aizen/Momo fight over to the Orihime/Ichimaru one.

"Is this a good thing?"

"No."

Whatever was keeping Orihime from going full-on Kenpachi Zaraki broke and she attacked the captain of the 3rd with a vengeance.

And all went white.

Orihime's inner world

"I was wondering when you would arrive."

Orihime looked around, and discovered she was near a river: the River Nile, in fact, in Egypt, near the Temple of Abu Simbel.

Orihime had no idea why her mind's world took the form of a location in Egypt, but she couldn't argue with it.

Her sword spirit, who looked like the short captain of the 2nd Division they ran into, but a bit taller then Ichigo and longer, spikier hair.

She also wore chainmail and a vulture-shaped helmet on her head, complete with a vulture head over her forehead.

Her sword and shield were different then Orihime's Shikai, with the shield coated in a layer of metal and the sword was made of black steel.

Orihime identified the metal as Damascus Black Steel, which was considered the strongest steel alloy ever made before the modern era.

It even had the grooves in the metal.

"Is that my-no, your Bankai?"

"We are one and the same, Orihime."

She jumped down from her place on one of the heads of the statues of Ramses II, landing just short of the river.

"And we both know that Ichigo is not your soul mate. He belongs to Rukia."

Orihime sighed.

"I know. The feeling will never fade, even knowing that."

The woman looked at Orihime.

"Do you really accept his feelings for her? Will you try to separate them?"

Orihime drew her sword. "If Kurosaki's happy with Rukia, then I'm fine with it! If he decides to leave her, and I'm damned sure he won't, then I'll help him! Only after! Never before!"

Nephthys smirked.

"Then call the names of my son and myself. Zaraki never learned the name of his sword, but since you can hear me, you can unleash your Bankai."

Orihime raised an eyebrow.

"Doesn't a shinigami need years of training to do that?"

"Ichigo and Rukia are barely one step away, and you've been around him for years. Say my name and the name of my son. Bankai-"

Orihime turned to face a jackal.

'Her son...his name is..."

With Ichimaru

'Damn it, her power's spiking! That means-'

"Bankai: Anubis, son of Nephthys!"

'Oh, shit!'

Her sword flashed, changing from bronze to Damascus Black Steel, and her shield was coated in a thin, but impenetrable, layer of regular steel.

She even wore older-style chainmail under her uniform, and was now wearing a helmet that looked a lot like a bird.

He would later note that it was a vulture.

Looking over from his fight with Momo, Aizen was horrified.

Ichigo didn't just increase the powers of his allies and dampen the powers of his enemies: he forced his allies' skills to surface, and in Orihime's case, it was her new Bankai.

'Well, fuck.'

Momo's mask partially disintegrated, allowing the Hollow to use more of Momo's regular powers.

Then Kaname Tosen arrived and joined the fray, attacking Orihime.

This was Toshiro's cue to get involved because, Bankai or no, Orihime couldn't handle two captains at once.

The white-haired captain attacked Ichimaru, and kicked Tosen in the face.

After that, Ichigo and Rukia decided to get off the sidelines.

Their target: Sosuke Aizen.

"Chad, Uryū, get Ganju and Hanataro out of here!"

"Since when-"

Chad grabbed Uryū and put him over his shoulder.

"On it."

Rangiku sighed.

"I'll get them to the 4th Division barracks. It's one of the few safe places in the Seireitei now, anyways!" She did not want to get involved in a fight with Gin, so leaving was her best option.

Renji and Byakuya, on the other hand, decided to engage Tosen and relieve Hitsugaya so he could focus on Ichimaru.

It was about to turn into a clash of the titans, and those rarely, if ever, ended well.

Before yelling 'What the hell are you doing' and such, allow me to state something:

I hate stories that introduce one change and don't change more then that. The Butterfly Effect, hated as it might be, MUST be taken into account! That's normally why I write long-winded stories! Some things won't change (Aizen and co betraying the Gotai 13 and such) but others will, including this!

Prepare to see a fuckton of pain.

Speaking of pain...

(Looks over to see Orihime (_WSR_ version) beating the shit out of Zaraki)

Sucks to be him.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: The traitors are forced to retreat to Sōkyoku Hill, and the Gotai 13 have laid a trap for them. Aizen, however, plans to leave by any means necessary.

Ja Ne!


	13. Chapter 12: Aizen's Retreat

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 12: Aizen's Retreat/The Law fits the times/Twin Bankai

Recap: Orihime Inoue has gained her Bankai, and in doing so, has forced Aizen and his follow traitors to get the hell out of the Soul Society. However, what Aizen does not know is that Gin Ichimaru plans to betray him and kill him for revenge, and what neither party knows is that Orihime knows. The Gotai 13, meanwhile, has learned of Aizen's treachery and plans to deal with the three in the most lethal way possible. But after this, what then? Will the Gotai 13 go after Ichigo, Rukia and Momo for their Inner hollows?

Plans that are made must adapt.

Those that do are successful.

Those that do not are not.

Sosuke Aizen, former Captain of the 5th Division, was learning that he had to start using that titbit of common sense.

The Soul Society did not change much, and that suited his plans.

Ichigo Kurosaki's invasion of the Seireitei did, too, until it was discovered that he had both his own blade and Rukia Kuchiki's. That was when all of his plans went down the gutter pipe.

First, Momo went to look for that idiot 7th Seat from the 4th Division and got captured by Kurosaki, ruining his plan to make her attack Hitsugaya.

Then that girl, Inoue, gained shinigami abilities from Zaraki, followed by Momo gaining Hollow powers. Speaking of Momo...

"DIE!"

"SON OF A BITCH!"

She was trying to kill him.

"GETSUGA TENSHO!"

A blue wave of reiatsu rushed toward Aizen, and he noted that it was slightly cold.

The source was Rukia Kuchiki, who had her normal zanpakutō out.

'Bleed over. Great.'

A red-black wave was milimeters from hitting Aizen, and this one came from Ichigo.

'He enhanced it?! Oh, shit!'

Over with Ichimaru, things were not good.

Orihime's shield was unbreakable, and couldn't be pierced by his Shikai.

Bankai was out of the question: Rangiku was still too close.

For that matter, if she was within two million kilometers of him it was too close.

And now he was fighting Toshiro Hitsugaya.

If anything, this was a massive nightmare on a scale had had never been seen.

'Give us red shirts, why don't ya?!'

Tosen, on the other hand, was having a slightly easier time of things with the leaders of the 6th Division, only because the pair knew about his Bankai and they did not want to lose their senses.

What none of the fighters knew was that they were heading for Sōkyoku Hill, or that the Gotai 13 had laid a massive trap for the traitors.

After laying enough entrapping kido and mustering what members of the 11th Division they could, including the now up-and-about Kenpachi Zaraki, the trap was ready.

With Ichigo

"Getsuga Tensho!"

Another red-black wave barely missed Aizen, and the bastard was forced to drop his sword in order to dodge.

Said sword was caught by Momo, who fixed it to her belt and fired another kiro shot at the bastard.

It took all of 10 minutes for Aizen to finally start thinking of ditching the other captains who joined him and telling his Espada to get him the fuck out.

But even as that thought entered his mind, it was pointless, as both traitors rejoined him seconds later.

"Gentlemen, I believe we need a new plan."

"Aizen! Tosen! Ichimaru!"

All three noticed that what was left of the leaders of the Gotai 13 stood before them on the Hill of Death, as the Author likes to call it.

"I get the feeling we've been had, Aizen."

"What are you talking about?"

Then a number of white circles appeared on the ground.

"Told ya."

"You three have murdered the leaders of the Soul Society and broken more laws then I can count!" Aizen narrowed his eyes.

"Wow. That must've been a lot if YOU lost count."

"Sarcasm will not save you, Aizen. As you have noticed, you are surrounded by a large number of 'bakudo mines', as Captain Kurotsuchi likes to call them."

The insane leader of the 12th actually smirked at being mentioned by Captain-General Yamamoto.

"They have enough power to destroy you if you cross them. Prepare the Sōkyoku!"

Aizen sweatdropped.

If things didn't turn around, he would get killed by that damned thing or those mines!

'Great. Now would be a really good time!'

A Garganta to Hueco Mundo opened in the sky, and the protective barrier came down around the three.

Aizen sighed in relief: actual relief, no less!

The Hollowfied Momo rushed at the barrier, and hit it with her blade.

Aizen smiled that infuriatingly evil smile for 5 seconds.

On second 6, the barrier wall started cracking.

Gin chuckled nervously.

"Uh-oh."

Sajin Komamura, Captain of the 7th, walked toward the barrier, partly to stop Momo and partly to ask why his old friend why he was betraying them.

The latter was easy and the answer did nothing to calm his sadness and building rage. (AN: 'Path with the least spilt blood', my 300 pound ass)

The former was like disarming a nuke with one second left on the timer.

Not happening.

"When I come back, I will be at the top! And you, Kurosaki, are at the top of my shitlist!"

Sajin left Momo go, who then broke the barrier.

He got her back in his massive arms just before Rukia and Ichigo each shot a Getsuga Tensho at Aizen.

"FUCK!"

The shots hit Aizen, but they did not kill him.

Needless to say, he was going to be extremely pissed off when (and if) he woke up.

The three entered the Hollow realm, all having their uniforms damaged in some way or another and one of them being knocked the fuck out.

Gin waved as the portal closed.

"Bye-bye."

Ichigo screamed.

"I HATE THAT BASTARD!"

The sound of most of the Gotai 13's leaders and the men of Squad 11 drawing their swords brought him back to reality.

All but the old man had a sword in hand.

"Do I want to know?"

"Zaraki told me of your...Hollow powers, Ichigo Kurosaki. He also said he would like to fight you again. But your powers are a threat to the safety of this place."

"I just helped you smoke out three traitorous assholes and _this_ is how I'm repaid? Hate to see what would happen if you were trying to charge me with something."

Yamamoto almost grinned at Ichigo's sarcastic rebuke.

Hollow powers or not, he could actually like the boy.

He looked at the still struggling Momo, who still had a partial mask on.

"It seems you're not the only one with these powers."

"Captain-General!"

He looked at Rukia.

"We all have these powers; they just need to be unlocked! Remember the man from the 12th? His theories?"

He remembered the nameless man.

He could have been head of the 12th Division one day, had it not been for that Hollow.

"I remember, Kuchiki."

"He was right! The zanpakutō spirit is the shinigami part of your soul! It doesn't matter if you're a shinigami or a Hollow, you still have the other half!"

Most of the captains, even Ukitake, seemed offended by that simple piece of common sense.

Mayuri and Zaraki, despite hating one another, were surprisingly the voices of reason.

"Captain-General, I would like to find this out for myself. If we all have these 'Inner Hollows', then attacking them would be pointless, as Zaraki could easily tell you."

"Hate to agree with the painted bastard, but he's right."

All the captains started looking around, looking for the Four Horsemen.

"Very well, Captain Kurotsuchi. Do whatever you need to do. Until he finds out if your Hollows are natural or not-"

"You don't start a fight, we won't start a fight. Deal, old man?"

Most of the shinigami paled.

Yamamoto simply smiled.

Screw the Inner Hollow.

He DID like the boy.

He walked toward the Substitute and extended his hand.

"We have a deal, boy."

Ichigo idly wondered if he had a joy buzzer, but shook his hand nonetheless.

2 days later

Unohana smiled as she ushered the couple out of the 4th Division medical center.

They had refused to stop holding each other's hand, and most of the female shinigami were jealous of Rukia now.

"Captain, I have a question."

Unohana opened her eyes and stood up straighter.

"Yes, Kurosaki-san?"

"Is there somewhere where we can try training with our Bankai? According to both Shirayuki and Zangetsu, we can both do it now, and I'd like to at least get good at using it."

"Funny you should ask that, Ichigo!"

A dark-skinned woman walked toward them.

"I know a place."

"Do I know you?"

Then he detected her spiritual energy signature.

"Yoruichi?! I thought you were a cat! A male cat!"

"Cats can't talk, Ichigo. And I do sound like a man in my cat form, don't I?"

She smirked.

"If you want to practice with your Bankai, then follow me."

She turned around, and the couple decided to follow her.

"Young love."

1st Division Barracks

Yamamoto had decided to check the law books once again.

The last time anyone gained Hollow powers, it was 100 years ago.

Admittedly, none of them actively sought the powers out, but they got them nonetheless.

And Yamamoto had started studying the laws of the living world due to this unique situation.

Countries and governments altered their laws to adapt to charging times while keeping some things the same: treason was still punishable by death, for example.

It seemed that the Soul Society had to do the same, or else it would stagnate and die.

The Captain-General resisted smirking.

If Aizen could be thanked for anything, it was forcing him to declare marshal law to make sure things were changed accordingly.

If Mayuri confirmed that all of them had Inner Hollows (he shuttered at the thought of what the man was doing and regretted giving him free reign to find out) then the law would need to be changed.

As Lieutenant Nanao Ise was the closest expert they had on this, she would have to write the new law.

Still, that all revolved around Mayuri's experimentation and the results of said experiments.

12th Division Laboratories

While the going was slow, Mayuri had discovered that Nemu had an Inner Hollow, despite her origin.

If artificial souls had an Inner Hollow, then natural souls had them as well.

Still, he had to confirm it, as assumptions would come to bite him in the ass later.

So he rounded up people from the 'higher' Rukon districts.

After countless experiments of the nature that would get the Author imprisoned on multiple counts of Crimes Against Humanity and all the accords that the Geneva Convention put down if described, (AN: With everything going on nowadays, I wouldn't be surprised if they did just that)

Mayuri discovered that most, if not all, of the test subjects (AN: GLaDOS, anyone?) had Inner Hollows.

'Now for the hard part.'

He had to wake a shinigami's Inner Hollow up.

Not the wisest course of action, but Mayuri wasn't wise; just smart.

There IS a difference between knowledge and wisdom, you know.

With Nemu out of the question, as she was needed to make sure he survived the experiments if they blew up in his face, (literally and figuratively) he picked a member of his own Division for the experiment.

The blue haired man began getting the feeling he would regret doing this, but ignored it.

With Ichigo and Rukia

"Alright, you two, draw your swords. And I mean YOUR swords, not the copies of Shirayuki and Zangetsu."

Ichigo and Rukia complied with Yoruichi's order. The two separated to make sure their Bankai would not hurt the other unintentionally.

"While I'm not sure if you can use Bankai or not, zanpakutō spirits do not lie. Now all we need to do is unlock them."

'_Ichigo, you know how to do it instinctively_.'

"Bankai!"

High amounts of reiatsu erupted from Ichigo's position, kicking up dust.

Yoruichi was caught off-guard with Ichigo's sudden release and was nearly blown away.

When the dust settled, Ichigo was no longer wearing the standard shinigami uniform, but what seemed to be a combination of one and a trench coat.

"Tensa Zangetsu."

The sword in question had changed from an oversized, albeit elegant looking, cleaver to a Japanese long sword had seemed to be black steel, like Orihime's Bankai, but did not had the organic patterns associated with Damascus Black Steel.

The ribbon on the blade had also been replaced by a chain with 6 or 7 links dandling from the bottom of the hilt.

It was also steaming, as if the air was warmer then the blade.

"A Condensed-Type Bankai. Those are extremely rare, Ichigo. From the look of things, some of Shirayuki's abilities have bled into your zanpakutō, as well."

Rukia walked over to Ichigo.

"Shirayuki told me that some of Zangetsu's abilities bled into her, so I'm not surprised that some of hers bled into him."

Yoruichi smirked.

"Show me."

Rukia sighed and found a good-sized rock to fire at.

"Getsuga..."

Blue energy surrounded Sode no Shirayuki.

"TENSHO!"

The shot destroyed the spire.

Considering it was 150 meters tall and 40 around, that should impress you.

Yoruichi made multiple notes, mostly centered around not fucking with either Reaper's zanpakutō or the Soul Reapers themselves.

"Alright, Rukia. Your turn."

Ichigo backed off, not wanting to get caught in the backlash.

"Bankai!"

The entire training area was filled with snow and ice.

Yoruichi was buried in 8 feet of the stuff, while Ichigo jumped up to avoid it. (AN: Yoruichi Snowman, anyone?)

The werecat dug herself out, and found Rukia wearing a similar outfit to Ichigo, only as if made for winter combat.

"Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki."

Her sword was the same size as Ichigo's, only pure white with gunwale gray on the edges with a different guard.

"Another Condensed-Type Bankai, only this one has an area effect."

Rukia looked at the clearly-cold Yoruichi.

"The cold will mess with people's hands, or make the blades stick in their sheaths."

She put the blade back to its' sealed state, but the area was still full of snow and ice.

"Why'd you seal her back up?"

"While my reiatsu levels are higher then they ever were before, I don't think I can do Bankai for more then a few minutes."

She fell down onto the snow.

Clearly, it had drained her.

_'Ichigo, give her some of your spiritual energy_.'

'I can do that, Zangetsu? I thought last time was a fluke!'

'_Clearly not. Do it._'

Ichigo put his hand to her head, as if checking her for a fever.

His spiritual energy flowed into her like water through a pipe.

Yoruichi ignored the cold and focused on the sight of Ichigo doing what no shinigami could normally do.

Transferring spiritual energy outside of healing kido was damn near impossible.

Then again, the words 'Ichigo Kurosaki' and 'impossible' did not mix well.

'Impossible' was usually destroyed.

It was matter and antimatter, only Ichigo didn't destroy himself in the process.

Rukia started coughing something up, and Ichigo pulled her up, nearly pulling the Heimlich Maneuver when Rukia spat out a diamond-colored, fist-sized orb. (RUKIA: That hurt! AUTHOR: Relax, you're about to get revenge on Urahara)

"That's a Hōgyoku! How the hell-"

Rukia's reiatsu spiked.

"URAHARA! WHEN I GET DOWN THERE, YOU DIE!"

With Mayuri

The captain of the 12th should have listened to his gut feeling, he decided in hindsight.

The hollowfied shinigami tore apart the lab he was using, and needed a dozen high powered kido spells just to knock him out.

While costly, it was all worth it, as he had proved Kuchiki and Kurosaki's claims that Inner Hollows were a natural part of the soul right.

"Nemu!"

His 'daughter'/Lieutenant turned to him.

"Yes, Master Mayuri?"

"Bring the Captain-General our findings on this. It seems we have more work to do."

Elsewhere

Lieutenant Nanao Ise was a bookish shinigami.

While her captain was a lazy drunken bum at times, he at least took care of her like she was his own daughter.

However, when the Captain-General asked her to write out a new law, she thought he was insane. While she was the best qualified to do the job, and she knew it, she was still not cut out for it. Even with the help of a dozen other members of the 1st and 8th Divisions helping her, she was not sure it would be good enough for Captain-General Yamamoto.

Still, she was ordered to do it, and she would do it.

Since this new law involved 8 former Gotai 13 Captains and Lieutenants who had their Inner Hollows forcibly awakened, (AN: The Vizards, for lack of a better term, who will pop up later on) it had to be retroactive.

"Why did he pick me for this?"

Office of the Captain-General of the Gotai 13

Yamamoto had the urge to shove his sword through Mayuri's head for his use of regular souls in his experiments, but since he wasn't there, he kept it in check.

Despite how he did it, Kurotsuchi confirmed that Inner Hollows were, indeed, a natural part of the soul. It seemed the former Captains and Lieutenants that were labeled outlaws by the Central 46 and himself were not outlaws at all: they did seem more to be victims, as Aizen did report them to his attention back then.

The bastard cost the Gotai 13 eight good men and women, and now was the time to get them back.

And another division was needed now, if Quincy Uryū Ishida and the human named Sado were any indication.

They could not afford to start another debacle with the Quincies now, if any more survived in numbers.

The 14th Division would need to be made up of both humans with unique powers (Chad, Orihime and Uryū) and shinigami (Ichigo and Rukia) in order to make sure there wouldn't be another incident like the one 200 years before.

Since Kurosaki was a captain-level shinigami, he seemed to be the perfect choice for captaincy, although he was still technically a human.

He began drawing the plans.

It needed to be done.

The birth of a 14th Division is commonplace in _Bleach_ stories, but mine is a little more unique in allowing Uryū among the ranks of the Gotai 13.

As for the pain I promised last time, you're not getting it this chapter, or even in the next one. But you WILL see the Espada and Aizen get their asses handed to them.

As for the name of Rukia's Bankai, the translation means 'Arctic Sleeves of White Snow', as there are few things on Earth that get much colder then Polar snow. At least, anything natural.

Her Shirayuki Bankai in like Ichigo's, but including a fur-lined hood and is thicker, serving to protect them against sword strikes, kido/cero blasts and the snowy Bankai itself. (temperatures can drop to minus 30 or lower within a 2 kilometer radius)

Both Ichigo and Rukia can Bankai using both Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki at the same time, although it is not recommended, as using both in Bankai, at the same time, has the extremely high chance of blowing up in their faces early on.

Won't kill them, but they will be knocked out for a long, long while until they learn how to do it without making it knock them out.

Also, their second Bankai outfits (Ichigo's Shirayuki and Rukia's Zangetsu) are basically the same, but tailored to their user, as it would look pretty stupid for Ichigo to wear a Rukia-sized outfit.

(Dodges a kido shot from aforementioned shinigami)

AUTHOR: Can I finish explaining before you get insulted?

(Ichigo shunpos in and grabs Rukia before she can kill the Author)

AUTHOR: Thank you.

There will also be other changes, as Rukia's height will start increasing a few centimeters at a time as months go by. This has the added benefit of making Byakuya depressed, as Rukia is a mini-Hisana. Now she'll be a Hisana clone, height and all.

BYAKUYA: Once I find a way to counteract your Author Powers, I will kill you.

AUTHOR: Did I mention that I'm bringing her back from the dead thanks to Aizen?

BYAKUYA: What?!

AUTHOR: That's right, she's coming back as an Arrancar, but she won't be one for long. The thought of you being married to one is creepy, to say the least. As soon as she runs into Rukia and Ichigo...well, why spoil what's left of the surprise?

(Kosh (the REAL Kosh, not Ulkesh, who replaced him after the Shadows killed him) appears)

AUTHOR: And YOU still haven't given me a good answer!

KOSH: Yes. Your time is now.

AUTHOR: THAT'S IT! (Pulls out zanpakutō ax) BANKAI, HINATA SAKURAHINA!

(As another massive battle gets started, the camera pans to Captain John Sheridan, in a shinigami uniform)

SHERIDAN: Londo and G'Kar are busy, so I'm in for them. Review if you want, and don't complain. Just click the back button if you don't like it.

We're skipping over the Bount Arc and since the new law will allow the Vizards to return without incident, we'll be seeing them in the Seireitei, although the former arc will be mentioned. Also, we will be skipping the first movie (don't remember the name) and _The Diamond Dust Rebellion_, although, as before, they will be mentioned. Instead, you get treated to MY version of _Fade to Black_, as-although very, very touching for the IchiRuki fan in me-the movie critic in me found it a bit lacking. Besides, the normal rules would no longer work, as the link between the two would preserve their memories no matter how many times those two tried to erase them separately. They would have to erase them both at the same time, and if the couple were separated, they would simply just try to find each other.

Enough ranting! Time for next chapter!

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Ichigo and Rukia start actually dating while Gotai 13 prepares to add a 14th Division to their numbers.

Ja Ne!

(BOOM!)


	14. Chapter 13: End of the 13

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

(The blackness fades to show a room on the famed planet Z'ha'dum and a face most _Babylon 5_ fans love to hate: Morden)

MORDEN: Hello, everyone. My name is Morden, but you probably already know that. While the Author is busy with Kosh-

(An explosion rocks the room, showing that the fight is just above)

MORDEN: I am hosting this intermission with Sosuke Aizen.

(Camera pans to show said asshole)

AIZEN: Thank you, Morden. Now, it's time for this chapter's recap.

Chapter 13: End of the 13, Beginning of the 14/Forgiveness/Journey Home

Recap: Aizen has retreated from the Soul Society, although he is wounded and without his would-be ultimate weapon, the Hōgyoku. The Seireitei has entered a peaceful state, but peace can easily be shattered by one misstep. As such, a truce between Ichigo Kurosaki and Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto was declared, and Mayuri Kurotsuchi went to work to find out if Kurosaki's Inner Hollow was natural or not while Ichigo and Rukia trained in the use of their twin Bankai. Mayuri confirmed their claims, and now the Gotai 13 must change with this new knowledge. Already many shinigami are trying to unlock their Inner Hollows, but they will need help from Ichigo, Rukia and Momo Hinamori to do it. While this is going on, Yamamoto prepares to create the fourteenth Court Guard Squad.

Change is a part of life and a part of death.

Without change, there is stagnation.

Stagnation leads to failure and death.

The 13 Court Guard Squads, otherwise mostly known as the Gotai 13, had stagnated for over 300 years.

From this stagnation came Sosuke Aizen.

Now rapid changes come to the Gotai 13 and to the Soul Society.

The source of this change was Ichigo Kurosaki.

From him would come the creation of not only a new law, but a new Division which he would lead. The law would help unleash the potential of all shinigami, as they could now use their newly-discovered Inner Hollows freely without fear of arrest or execution.

At the moment, however, only three Gotai 13 shinigami other then Kurosaki, Rukia Kuchiki and Momo Hinamori (whose Inner Hollow got rid of her affections toward Aizen quickly and mercilessly) could use their Inner Hollow: Toshiro Hitsugaya, who unlocked his the day after Aizen retreated, and could barely use it without it taking him over, the unlikely Hanataro Yamada, who had nearly perfect control over it and, almost nightmarishly, Kenpachi Zaraki.

The less said of Zaraki and his Inner Hollow, the better, but what will be said is that at least he had the perfect sparring partner now.

Those hearing voices not belonging to their zanpakutō included Rangiku Matsumoto, Renji Abarai, Byakuya Kuchiki and Suì-Fēng, and the list was growing by the day.

The reason they could hear them now was that they were either actively trying to unlock them or, in Byakuya's case, was around someone who was either trying (Renji) or had already done it. (Rukia)

Emotion also had a role to play, as Byakuya was annoyed that Ichigo was courting his adopted sister.

This kept making the Hollow surface, although he kept suppressing it.

This would hold Byakuya back in the war to come, but he would learn that only in hindsight.

Speaking of Ichigo...

"IGHIGO-KUN!" (AN: Insert Hospital Chase from _Star Trek IV The Voyage Home_ here)

He was currently being chased by 40% of the female shinigami population that was not Rukia.

Why 40?

The other 60% were either his actual girlfriend (Rukia) or knew he was dating someone.

They wanted to woo him away from Rukia, but he only had eyes for her.

Sadly, they didn't get that.

It took Zaraki popping up to make them go away, but this made Ichigo want to run even faster, for reasons we already know. (And love)

He ran into one of the few female shinigami that was not interested in either fighting him (Suì-Fēng being the exemplar for this, and they made of 45% of the total female population of the Gotai 13) or chasing him: Orihime Inoue, who had tied her hair back into a ponytail with a metal ball-shaped clip at the end of it to not only keep it from flowing everywhere, but made a nasty weapon.

He would know: one of the many perverts in the 11th tried to grope her, but received a ponytail whip, as Rukia coined it, to the face before Orihime started beating the shit out of him.

"Ichigo! You look like someone's trying to kill you."

"Kenpachi!"

Orihime pulled a chuckle that usually belonged to Tatsuki.

"Explains a lot. I'll take care of him. You get to the 1st Division Barracks: Yamamoto wants to talk to you."

"KUROSAKI!"

Zaraki finally caught up with him.

"Don't want to fight ya today, kid. There's a meeting, and you're wanted there, same with your friends and Kuchiki!"

He jumped off, as even he didn't want to test Yamamoto's patience.

Orihime sighed.

"I'll get Chad and Uryū. YOU get Rukia."

"Don't bother."

Rukia seemingly fell from the sky beside her boyfriend before jumping up to kiss him on the cheek.

It was getting easier to do that over the course of time, like she was getting taller.

"I was looking for him."

Orihime noted that, while it made her sad, they did make a really good couple.

"I'll get Chad and Uryū then."

Both noticed her sad undertone.

Uryū had taken a fancy to Nemu Kurotsuchi for some reason, and Orihime felt left out.

Chad wasn't her type, pure and simple.

"I think we need to play matchmaker with her."

"There's only one person that's interested in her, and it's a girl. As she is now, Orihime could kill her."

Didn't mean he wouldn't pay to watch her do it, though.

"Still, we have a meeting to get to. Let's go."

1st Division Barracks

Most of the captains (not including Zaraki) were already there waiting for Ichigo and company to arrive.

Most of the captains were not told what the meeting was about, as only Ukitake, Komamura and Kyoraku were told, and they were extremely tight-lipped.

Seconds later, Zaraki arrived, followed by Ichigo and Rukia. Orihime, Chad and Uryū arrived about 10 seconds later.

"Sorry if we're late, old man."

The 'old man' in question chuckled.

"I know what happened, Kurosaki. I was tempted to start laughing at your predicament. But I knew better then to do that. This meeting will now commence!"

Yamamoto's cane hit the floor, making a small shockwave that nearly knocked Chad and Uryū off their feet.

"This is both the end and the beginning: a crossroads, if you like. This will be the last meeting of the 13 Court Guard Squads."

All but the captains of the 7th, 8th and 13th looked at Yamamoto as if he were insane.

"It is also the first meeting of the 14 Court Guard Squads, and the appointment ceremony of the first Captain of the 14th Division. Ichigo Kurosaki, you are an odd case: a human turned into a Substitute Shinigami with Hollow powers and both continue to grow. Due to this, you are to be made Captain of the 14th Division."

Rukia resisted hugging Ichigo to death.

"The purpose of this new 14th division is to prevent the same tragedy that happened 200 years ago with the near extermination of the Quincies. Uryū Ishida, step forward!"

The Quincy cautiously walked toward Ichigo, into the light.

"Your grandfather wanted our two races to work side-by-side, to combat the Hollow menace, correct?"

Uryū nodded, still terrified that Yamamoto could easily kill him.

"You have already proven his point in working with Kurosaki. While the problem of your powers being able to kill a Hollow and all the souls it has taken is still an issue, the 12th Division has been trying to find a way to counter it with a medium of sorts."

Uryū sighed in relief.

They weren't going to kill him.

"As for what happened back then...on behalf of the Gotai 14, I apologize for what happened and for ordering it. It was not easy for us to go through with doing that, necessary or not."

Uryū wanted to yell, but Yamamoto had swallowed his pride to say those words.

It was far past time to bury the fucking hatchet.

"I accept your apology, Captain-General Yamamoto."

Yamamoto looked at the group before him.

"As most of you know, the Court Guard Squads have specializations: the Fourth Division is healing and supply, the Thirteenth's is kido and the Eleventh's is sword-fighting, for example. As such, the Fourteenth has a unique role: spiritually aware humans with unique powers are the specialization of this Division."

Ichigo sighed.

He knew three people on the top of his head that could join the 14th: Tatsuki and his sisters.

It would be a cold day in hell when his sisters would join the Gotai 14 before their time.

An EXTREMELY cold day in hell.

Momo, who was acting captain for the 5th, looked at the Captain-General.

"Sir, who will be the captain of the 14th?"

Yamamoto looked at Ichigo.

"Kurosaki Ichigo! Step forward!"

Ichigo walked toward the Captain-General.

"I have heard you are capable of Bankai. Show us."

Ichigo took out Zangetsu, as he was not risking using Shirayuki's Bankai yet: not in an enclosed space.

With his power level, he could easily kill half the captains in the room, not to mention Uryū, Orihime, Chad and Momo.

"Bankai!"

His uniform transformed into the trenchcoat hybrid.

"Tensa Zangetsu."

"A Condensed-Type Bankai is something I have not seen in a long time, Kurosaki. And your other blade?"

"I'd rather not. Shirayuki's Bankai has an area effect, and it gets REALLY cold."

"Worried for the safety of others, Kurosaki?"

Ichigo looked at Yamamoto.

"That **is** what my name means, old man: First Guardian."

If anything, _that_ truly made him captain material.

"Captains Unohana and Komamura, the Haori."

Both nodded and brought a newly-made Haori, with the Japanese character for 14 on the back with a mask underneath the number.

They placed the Haori on his shoulders, and he put his arms through the sleeves.

"Normally, there would be a swearing-in ceremony, but your squad is a special case, Captain Kurosaki. Only those that are spiritually aware _and_ can fight Hollows will be allowed into your Division. Those that cannot fight are under your Division's protection."

That brought a smile to Ichigo's face.

"At least I'd live up to my name. And the matter of my Lieutenant?"

"Normally, you would have the one assigned to your division, but as your division is new, we will need to select one."

Rukia coughed into her hand.

"Sir, I would like to volunteer. I know Ichigo best out of all of us, and we have each other's zanpakutō. In separate divisions, our abilities would be wasted."

"You were the only one on the list, Rukia-san."

Yamamoto produced a badge with the same emblems on Ichigo's new Haori on it.

'_Volunteered for it, then you get shanghaied into doing it. At least you still get to be with Ichigo_.' 'Shirayuki, please, I don't need this right now.'

She stepped forward, noticing Byakuya's twitching eye.

It appeared his Inner Hollow (which was less refined as he was, and a lot simpler to deal with) was enjoying this.

Secretly, she enjoyed it, too.

She retrieved the badge of office from the Captain-General, then tied it to her left sleeve.

"You, Rukia Kuchiki, are now Lieutenant of the 14th Division under Captain Ichigo Kurosaki. Bring pride to your Division!"

Rukia bowed while Ichigo gave Yamamoto a military-grade salute.

The gesture was not completely lost on some of them, as they had Konso'ed soldiers in the past, and saw them perform it.

"The reason you were chosen, Captain, as the leader of your new Division is simple: you are still alive, and thus can identify anyone that can fight against Hollows. However, you cannot be everywhere at once, and while Karakura Town has a great amount of spirit energy, it is not the only place in the living world like it. As such, I will assign a number of shinigami from other divisions to assist you in finding those like Sado-san and Uryū-san. They will search the living world for them."

"They better get told what they're getting into. Everything we do is kinda need-to-know."

Yamamoto looked Ichigo in the eye.

"They will be told, Kurosaki. It is time the Gotai 14 learns from the mistakes of its' predecessor, and lack of information to our allies was only one of many mistakes. Captains of the Gotai 14, dismissed!" Yamamoto left the room, followed by most of the captains.

Only Ichigo and his friends remained behind.

"So, Uryū, care to join my Division?"

Uryū was tempted to say no, but his grandfather would slap him upside the head and tell him to say yes.

As if fearing that his grandfather would pop out of nowhere to do just that, he nodded.

"Chad, Orihime? What about you?"

Orihime scoffed.

"Why bother asking, Ichigo? You know we'll both say yes."

Chad simply nodded.

"Well, all we need now is Tatsuki and the gang would all be here."

"Ichigo, about that..."

Shiba residence

As Kukaku hadn't moved the house, it was easy to find. Rukia was nervous.

"Ichigo-"

"I know about Kaien, Rukia. Shirayuki told me when Kukaku asked me about her. They already forgave you a long time ago. Besides, we're going to be spending a lot of time here, if she agrees."

Ganju looked at Ichigo.

"Agrees to what?"

They entered the house, and Ichigo discovered the Kukaku was sitting down where they met her in the first place.

"Oi, Kurosaki. What's with the Haori?"

"It's a very long story, Kukaku."

4 hours later

It was now 1755 hours SS Standard Time, and Ichigo had finished telling Kukaku of everything that happened, from his fight with Ikkaku to Aizen's betrayal to getting the captaincy of a newly-made Division.

"Lot of stuff for just getting your girlfriend back. So, why come here?"

Rukia sighed. Even after introducing herself, she was still nervous.

"Until the 14th Division's barracks are complete, the squad needs somewhere to stay."

Kukaku's pipe moved slightly.

"I can't let over 200 people stay here!"

"The 14th Division isn't made of over 200 men and women: just 5. And all of them are in this room."

She looked at them.

"You're serious. Just you, Kuchiki, the big guy, the bubbly girl and the Quincy? Since when did they let Quincies in?"

"My Division's special: we deal with humans with spiritual powers, including Quincies. They can either join or they can help us deal with the Hollows while staying in the living world."

Kukaku's pipe hit the floor, and of its' own accord this time.

"And Yamamoto's letting you do that?!"

Ichigo chuckled.

"My Division, my problem."

Kukaku started laughing.

"Until you get someone else to join your Division, Kurosaki, my doors are open!"

"Then you'll have to close them." Yoruichi walked in, wearing a shinigami uniform.

"Hope you don't mind, but I told Yamamoto that I'd be joining the 14th Division."

Ichigo blinked.

"What, thought I wasn't a shinigami? I was Suì-Fēng's captain once!"

"Didn't cross my mind, Yoruichi. Then again, you WERE a cat at the time."

"Technically, I still am. But I see your point. Besides teasing the hell out of you, there is a _practical_ reason I'm joining your squad. You're a newbie captain of a newbie Division. Since I was a captain, I get to advise you on what the hell you need to do. Of course, that's it: you need to make decisions on your own, otherwise I'd be the captain, not you."

Ichigo nodded, getting Yoruichi's point.

Kukaku looked at Ichigo.

"Where are they buildin' the barracks for your squad? They can't fit 'em in the Seireitei."

Uryū adjusted his glasses.

"Actually, it's being built outside western Rukongai, so we'll have easy access to Karakura Town from there."

"It's a fucking fortress: you'd need modern weaponry to break in."

Kukaku looked at Orihime.

"What happened to _you_?"

"I got turned into a Substitute Shinigami by Kenpachi Zaraki."

Kukaku inched back slightly.

"That explains a lot."

"Relax. While I have the urge to fight something strong, I'm not giving into it. I'm still me, just more...violent."

"With Zaraki's mouth, clearly."

Ichigo got up.

"Kurosaki, you're staying with your girlfriend. The rest of you, you know where to go!"

While they were now members of the Gotai 14, they were still scared of Kukaku.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Yoruichi laughed her ass off at their fear while noticing Rukia hold Ichigo tightly.

And that she had gotten slightly taller: just an inch or two, but taller.

"Ah, young love. Ish."

1 week later: 14th Division Barracks (still under construction)

Orihime's comment was not far off as to needing modern weapons to get in, if the design of the foundations was anything to go by.

It was built as a castle, combining Asian, European and Mideastern styles into one design.

The only thing that WAS finished was the Senkaimon gate that led to Karakura Town.

Top priority was given to the living quarters and the administration area, and those would be finished within a few weeks, with the walls already up to 10 feet in height, blocking access inside except through a large, European-style gate, which could only be opened from within.

Most of the labor came from the same Rukon district Jidanbo came from, and the giant was even helping build the fortress after getting his arm healed by Orihime.

"Orihime, you were wrong. When it's done, anyone wanting to get inside will need air support to get in."

"Same thing, Kurosaki-kun."

Orihime had been alternating between using Ichigo's given name and his family name for a while now.

Rukia smiled.

"Ok, time to go home."

Ichigo smiled at that.

Before they left, the residents of the district bid them farewell and told them to come back soon. Ichigo gave them a thumbs up in return. "I'll be back soon!" He produced a Hell Butterfly (after being taught by Hitsugaya and Ukitake) and opened the Senkaimon.

"Next stop, Karakura Town!"

The members of the 14th Division walked through, and ended up damn near face to face with the Cleaner.

Again.

"NOT THIS SHIT AGAIN!"

"Just keep running!"

After a minute or two, they reached the world of the living.

Or rather, 50 feet above it.

"FUCK!"

They started falling (and in more then one case, screaming) to the ground when they saw a tarp coming at them.

It rapped around them, and they landed near Urahara's shop in Tessai's massive arms.

It was just another thing Urahara was going to pay for.

And Yoruichi was going to help the couple with it and make sure they didn't kill him at the same time. After all, they still needed him. In pain, if nothing else.

(Joining the Assholes is Kisuke Urahara, who is hiding from the couple)

KISUKE: Thanks for hiding me here.

MORDEN: No thanks needed. I have a question for you: what do you want?

(Ichigo and Rukia enter the room, both swords in hand and in Bankai)

ICHIRUKI: HIM DEAD!

ALL 3: Uh-oh.

(10 seconds later, Z'ha'dum explodes. Again)

(The Author sits in the cockpit of his personal Bluestar)

AUTHOR: Never let those two Bankai at the same time. It's a bad idea.

Urahara's going to get his ass handed to him, but I'm not going to kill him: I like the man too much for that. That being said, he will be in a hospital bed for the next two months once Ichigo and Rukia are done with him, as I like the idea of the couple kicking his ass for all the shit they were put through more then I like Urahara. Of course, as soon as he's fully recovered, _Fade to Black_ starts. Sucks to be him.

Next time on _White Sun Rising_: Ichigo and Rukia kick Urahara's ass, then return to Ichigo's home to deal with Isshin and Ichigo's sisters.

Ja Ne!

(BOOM!)

AUTHOR: Fucking Christ, they just blew up Babylon 5!


	15. Chapter 14: Urahara goes to the Hospital

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 14: Urahara goes to the Hospital/Telling the Kurosakis and Tatsuki/HELLO, NURSE!

Recap: Ichigo Kurosaki is now captain of the new 14th Division of the Gotai 14, and Rukia is now his Lieutenant. Joining him are Chad, Orihime and surprisingly Uryū, along with Yoruichi Shihōin, former captain of the 2nd Division. With their return to Karakura Town, they have one thing in mind: kicking the living shit out of Urahara. But Ichigo will have bigger problems soon enough: he will need to tell his family about his new duties, and then there is the issue of Tatsuki. Orihime told Ichigo what happened when her hollowfied brother attacked, and Ichigo knows that Tatsuki will develop spiritual powers, if she hasn't already. Unknown to Ichigo, Toshiro Hitsugaya followed him to Karakura, assigning himself to the town. What will happen when Toshiro meets the Kurosakis, which he will? Read on to find out!

"Well, who would have thought you would land in front of my shop?"

Both leaders of the 14th Division growled.

"You have a LOT to answer for, Hat'n'Clogs!"

"Oh?" Ichigo produced the Hōgyoku from his uniform.

"Care to explain what the hell this was doing in Rukia's soul?"

Urahara chuckled nervously.

There was no getting around this: Ichigo was going to try and kill him and Rukia was going to help.

And from the look of things, Yoruichi was going to do a lot to help them.

"If you're wondering, Kisuke, they're not going to kill you. Beat the living shit out of you, yes. Kill you? No. Only I get to kill you."

"That's not reassuring!"

"I'll never kill you, so it's not a problem!"

Both shinigami stood up (they were still on the ground) and cracked their knuckles.

About 10 seconds later, their zanpakutō spirits appeared.

"Oh, so you can use Bankai? That's new!"

Sode no Shirayuki had a cold, calculating smile on her beautiful face.

"Urahara, we have a lot to repay you for. Starting with the Inner Hollow that you woke up in Ichigo."

Urahara chuckled, then noticed Benihime was gone.

He saw that it was in Yoruichi's hands.

"Sorry, old friend, but you deserve this!"

And thus the can of whoop-ass was opened.

2 hours later

Urahara looked like he was ran over by a freight train, a German Elephant anti-tank vehicle, (this exists: they're from World War II and are fucking massive) a _Babylon 5 Omega_-Class Destroyer and a blue giant.

Not something like Jidanbo: a massive star at least 50 times the size of Sol, our sun.

Since a sun is the heaviest thing in the universe sans a black hole, Urahara should count his blessings that he's still alive. "Ok, kids, that's enough. I don't think he's getting up for a while."

Tessai carried his boss to a local hospital while Ichigo got back in his body and Rukia got into a gigai that Tessai made for her during the Ass Whooping. (AN: This gets capital letters because it will get referenced more then once)

"Thank you for visiting our shop, everyone."

Jinta chuckled at the thought of Urahara's Ass Whooping.

"Do that again and you'll get shit for free!" "

He does something stupid like what he pulled last time, you'll get front row seats!"

Uryū, Chad and Orihime left when the four got REALLY brutal with the Ass Whooping.

The couple walked arm-in-arm to Ichigo's house, and Ichigo sighed.

"As much as I don't want to, we're going to need to tell them everything."

Rukia looked at Ichigo.

"If your father gets stupid-"

"Which he will-"

"Punt him in the balls."

"Rukia, I love your idea almost as much as I love YOU."

She blushed at that. "Let's just get this over with." They entered the house, and Isshin, predictably, tried to attack Ichigo.

He received the infamous Boot To The Head from Ichigo while Rukia punted him in the Family Jewels.

Needless to say, he ain't getting up for a while.

"Welcome home, Ichi-nii!"

Ichigo looked at his two sisters, one of which was enjoying the double teaming that was unleashed on their father from Ichigo and Rukia.

"So, brought Rukia back home, huh?"

The couple looked at one another.

Byakuya and Renji wiped their memories, so why did Karin remember Rukia?

Meanwhile

Toshiro Hitsugaya laughed at the results of the Ass Whooping that Ichigo and Rukia gave Urahara.

He hadn't laughed like that in years.

The reason he was there?

Kurosaki was back in his body, and thus had to sleep, as he was extremely tired by that point, so Hitsugaya volunteered to watch over the town.

'I may as well check up on Kurosaki and Kuchiki while I'm at it.'

He found Ichigo's home and sped toward it. It was then he saw the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

The problem?

It was Ichigo's sister.

Back with the Kurosakis

Karin had the feeling something was watching her, but shook it off. "So, let me get this straight. She's a shinigami."

Ichigo nodded.

"And you're a Substitute Shinigami, which is like a shinigami, but you're still alive and you've still got your body."

Another nod.

"And you just spent the last month in the world of the dead trying to rescue Rukia from getting executed, then got promoted with a fancy new squad."

A half-nod this time, as the squad was made of the same people he stormed the Seireitei with.

Karin opened her eyes.

"I believe you."

Both leaders of the 14th Division blinked.

"Huh?"

"I knew something was off about you, Ichi-nii, but this is new. The ghosts were one thing: since that incident at the graveyard, I've started to believe more and more in ghosts, or Plus Souls as you guys call them, and I've seen guys in those outfits fighting those big ugly things."

She looked out the window.

"You know, like that guy?"

Both looked out and saw Toshiro Hitsugaya, who had hearts in his eyes.

Eyes that were locked on Karin.

Ichigo grabbed the Substitute Badge that Yamamoto gave him and left his body, showing off his new Gotai 14 Captain's uniform.

"If you excuse me..."

He walked through the wall and grabbed Toshiro.

"What the hell are you doing here, Hitsugaya?!"

The hearts disappeared and his normal eyes came back.

"I've been assigned to here, Kurosaki!"

"Then why were you staring at my sister?!"

The look in Toshiro's eyes could be seen as a word: 'shit'.

"I thought she was a family friend or something! She looks nothing like you!"

"Weak excuse!"

While nothing compared to the Ass Whooping, he did kick the shit out of Toshiro.

Karin walked outside.

"What's your problem?"

"He's about 60 or so years older then I am and he was looking at _you_."

'Overprotective Big Brother mode. Still...'

Toshiro looked into his angel's eyes.

Then he landed on the ground.

"Great. One of my co-workers has a crush on my sister."

He muttered something about Toshiro and his age, but dragged him inside, then threw him on the couch.

"Rukia, if he tries to move, or make a move on my sister-"

"Got it. I'll keep him there."

Rukia knew better then to argue with a big brother protecting his family.

He got Isshin up and tied him to the chair.

"Now I have to explain the whole thing, again, to my idiot of a father AND Tatsuki."

Meanwhile

Tatsuki Awisawa was on her way back home from karate practice when she spotted someone running toward her.

"Hey, you OK?"

The younger girl ran right through her, identifying her as a ghost.

Then she spotted what was chasing said ghost.

She would later know it as a Hollow, but now?

Now she had something to kick the shit out of.

And kick the shit out of it she would, as she had enough spiritual power to touch the fucking thing thanks to Ichigo.

She kicked it, but that didn't hurt anyone but Tatsuki.

"Hey, fuckface!"

Tatsuki looked back and saw Orihime attack the Hollow with an odd sword. "Knock-knock!" She hacked the Hollow's mask in half, effectively killing it.

"Orihime?!"

The girl looked back at Tatsuki.

"Oh, shit. She can see me."

"No, you are NOT ignoring me! What the hell is going on? Why are you wearing that outfit? What the HELL was that thing?!"

Then she noticed Orihime's personality changes.

"What the fuck happened to YOU?!"

"Look, I was on my way home when I saw that Hollow. You were lucky I was here to save your ass. As for answers, go to Ichigo's house. He's got more experience with this then I do."

Then the ground rumbled with a loud roar.

"Another one?!"

This one was larger then the one Orihime just took out.

It was bear-like, and also a lot more powerful.

It hit her, then launching her into a power line.

"First, I'll eat you, shinigami, then your little friend!"

Orihime got up, clearly angry at the Hollow.

"That's it! Bankai!"

Tatsuki watched as Orihime's sword and the unnoticed-until-then shield changed from leather and bronze to black and normal steel.

"Anubis, Son of Nephthys!"

"You're a weak shinigami if you have to Bankai on me!"

"Not weak!"

She hacked off the Hollow's right arm.

"PISSED OFF!"

"You bitch!"

It managed to gore Orihime pretty badly with a strike from its' left arm, showing that Orihime was not very good at fighting, Bankai or not.

"Orihime!"

"Koten Zanshun, I reject!"

She hit the Hollow's left arm, but it wasn't cut off.

Then Orihime remembered Ichigo telling her how he gained Rukia's powers.

"Tatsuki, get over here!"

Tatsuki ran over to Orihime.

"I can't heal myself _and_ kill that thing at the same time. I'll need to make you a Substitute Shinigami."

"A WHAT?"

Orihime's Bankai disappeared, replaced with her Shikai.

"This might hurt."

She stabbed Tatsuki through the heart, removing the black-haired girl from her body.

Orihime was drained, but nowhere near enough not to heal herself.

Tatsuki noticed she was wearing the same outfit as Orihime, but instead of a sickle-shaped blade, hers was a European sword: one from Ancient Greece.

"You just made her tastier, shinigami!"

Tatsuki used the sword's knuckleguard to punch the hollow in the face, then completely cut off the Hollow's left arm.

"Go to hell, you freak!"

She hacked the Hollow's mask in half, killing it.

"You know, all you're doing is purifying them of the sins they did as Hollows and sending them to, for lack of a better term, heaven."

Tatsuki turned to face Ichigo, who wore an outfit akin to hers but with a white Haori over it. She pointed her sword at him.

"Start explaining, Ichigo! NOW!" He hit her sword with what looked like an oversized cleaver. "Tatsuki, don't threaten me. One, you're my friend and I only wanted to protect you. And two..."

The girl's sword snapped in two.

"Your reiatsu may be higher then before, but it's barely at seated officer level. I'm above Captain-Level."

"You broke my sword!"

"Zanpakutō. It's called a zanpakutō. And it'll fix itself with time."

Orihime, still on the ground, healing herself, laughed.

"You would know!"

"And you gave her shinigami powers."

Orihime pointed to the wound that was on her stomach.

"It happened to Rukia, too, you know."

The wound sealed up at last, and Orihime got onto her feet, using the building as a support.

"And that's the only reason you aren't getting locked up in a cell for the next three weeks."

Tatsuki blinked.

"What?"

"It's a long story, Tatsuki. Come to my place and I'll explain."

With that filler chapter done, it's time to move on to _Fade to Black_.

Why _Fade to Black_ rather then the Arrancar/Hueco Mundo arc first? Ichigo's Bankai.

It, for lack of a better term, evolves during the events of the series, and it was still in its' first form during _Fade to Black_.

As for changes to the plot, Rukia and Ichigo are in the world of the living rather then separate, and due to their link, if one of those two Hollowfied spirits erases Rukia's memories, Ichigo's serve as an almost instant backup. Almost because there's about 2 or 3 seconds of lag. So, they need to reap both of them at the same time.

Sucks to be them. As for who gets them back, Orihime and Tatsuki have that little honor, as they're going to be wondering how the fuck they got their powers in the first place. After figuring out that, time to get Ichigo and his girlfriend/Lieutenant back.

List of members of the 14th Division as of Episode 62 of the anime: (equivalent timeframe)

Ichigo Kurosaki (Captain)

Rukia Kuchiki (Lieutenant)

Yoruichi Shihōin (Third Seat)

Orihime Inoue (Fourth Seat)

Uryū Ishida (Fifth Seat)

Yasutora 'Chad' Sado (Sixth Seat)

Tatsuki Awisawa (Seventh Seat)

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Due to a certain man's fuck up, (Cough*Mayuri*Cough) all hell breaks loose in the Seireitei, and three souls make their way to Karakura Town. Their target: Rukia Kuchiki.

Ja Ne!


	16. Chapter 15: The Betrayed

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 15: The Betrayed/Memories of Nobody/Remembering the Forgotten

Recap: 5 months have passed since the reorganization of the Court Guard Squads, and many things have happened since then: the Bounts reappeared, the Vizards (mostly) rejoined the Gotai 14 and the King's Seal was destroyed by Toshiro Hitsugaya. The 14th Division's numbers have swelled with shinigami and empowered human alike with little difficulty, but to all things, there are an end. Three spirits with a link to Rukia Kuchiki have returned from the void to reclaim her for themselves. The problem is that Rukia is still in the world of the living with her Captain/boyfriend, Ichigo Kurosaki. They will need to get past him to get her, and that may not be enough.

A man with blackish-blonde hair and a partial helmet (AN: Think Mustang's oversized eyepatch from the end of the first FMA series and the movie, but bigger) stood up in the outer reaches of the Soul Society.

"They broke the veil separating that hellhole from this place, if only for a short time."

He smiled for a moment.

"I believe I should repay them for helping me get back here and getting my revenge on the Gotai 13." He shunpo'ed closer to the Seireitei, then noticed a few changes.

There was a large fortress outside Rukon now.

"That's new."

He turned to face the Seireitei itself, and discovered that the two who set him free had unleashed something in the Seireitei itself: from the 12th Division laboratories, from the look of it.

"A little over the top, but it'll do the job."

He used his detection skills and found the pair.

Meanwhile

"She's not here!"

The girl scowled and started throwing a tantrum.

"Calm yourself, sister. That won't get us anywhere."

"I can get you to her."

They turned to see a man in a shinigami uniform.

"A Soul Reaper!"

He partially removed his face-mask.

"Not...entirely."

"You're...like us?"

"In many ways, you are more like me then I am like you. I have to say, nice job with reishi conversion device. As for why Rukia's not here-"

Both siblings prepared to fight.

"How do you know her?!"

"I met her at the Academy. She was like a little sister to me. She tried to save me. She was the only one who tried."

He looked out at the Seireitei.

"All but Rukia betrayed me that day. I was their comrade, and they left me to die. And I owe you for getting me out of Hueco Mundo, so let me help you find and get Rukia back."

The girl looked at him, almost happy at the news.

"You know where she is?!"

"The world of the living. I don't know her exact location, but my detection abilities are far superior to yours. I can narrow it down to at least 200 kilometers from here. And neither of you can open a Senkaimon to the world of the living."

He drew his zanpakutō, then a portal opened at its' tip.

"I can. Through Rukia, we are family. Might I ask your names?"

Both refused to look at him.

"We...don't have names. Rukia was going to give us names, though, before-"

"Say no more. I understand."

"And you?"

He closed his only exposed eye.

"I once had a name, when I was alive. I forgot it after being here for so long, so I never had one. But if you want to call me something, call me Nemo."

"Nemo?"

"It's Latin: it means 'no one'. Fitting."

He waved an arm at the Senkaimon gate he had forced open.

"Come. Rukia awaits us."

They went through.

Karakura Town

Ichigo put his arm behind Rukia's neck as she snuggled into him.

While they knew they loved one another, they decided to take things as slowly as possible.

At the moment, they were watched an old movie from 1987: the Mel Brooks classic _Spaceballs,_ dubbed and subbed in Japanese.

"_They must have hyperjets on that thing_!"

"_And what do we have on this thing, a Cuisinart_?!"

Rukia smiled, mostly at Ichigo's attempts to keep her entertained.

"You are going to love this part."

"Why do you say that, Ichigo?"

"_Now hear this! Ludicrous Speed_!"

"_Sir, hadn't you better buckle up_?!"

"_Ah, buckle this! Ludicrous Speed! GO_!"

She did, indeed, love the scene, as Dark Helmet was holding on for dear life as the speed went to Ludicrous Speed.

Both read off the speed that _Spaceball One_ was going at.

"Light Speed, Ridiculous Speed, Ludicrous Speed."

"_What have I done?! My brains are going into my feet!"_

The _Star Wars_ hyperspace scene changed to a plaid square-shaped tunnel.

"Whoa. That's fast."

Then Rukia's Soul Pager went off.

"Great, a Hollow. And I was enjoying myself!"

"What about Tatsuki and Orihime?"

"They're at Urahara's, using his training room."

Ichigo paused the movie, then got up and tapped his Substitute Shinigami Badge, getting out of his body.

Rukia quickly followed suit.

"As soon as we're done with the Hollow, we'll get back to the movie."

He kissed her cheek, then they left the house.

"So, where is the fucking thing?"

"Near the graveyard. Why, I don't know: there's no souls there."

Then they saw the portal opening from Hueco Mundo overhead: it was a Gillian.

"How the hell did that thing get here?!"

Then it exploded in a flash of light.

Another shinigami had killed it before they got there.

"I was wondering when you would show up, Rukia."

The shinigami had half his head covered by a black helmet, and had black-blonde hair.

"Do I know you?"

"It was a long time ago, Rukia. I'm not surprised you forgot me."

Then Ichigo's eye saw a scythe coming his way.

"Rukia!"

He jumped over it, and Rukia ducked in perfect synchronization.

"Son of a bitch. I _knew_ it wouldn't be that simple."

He drew his blade and attacked Ichigo, who drew Sode no Shirayuki to parry.

'Wait a second, that's-'

He barely dodged the swing from Rukia's Shirayuki, which nicked the mask.

Then the boy appeared and swung the scythe at Ichigo's neck.

The special power of the scythe made Ichigo forget everything he had gone through.

For all of 5 seconds.

'What the hell was that?!'

During that time, the nameless shinigami had engaged Rukia in combat, but thanks to having two zanpakutō, was doing fairly well.

'Shirayuki, what happened to Ichigo?!'

'_That scythe erased his memories! If it weren't for the link you both share_-'

'I get it!'

The nameless shinigami released his zanpakutō wordlessly, turning from a normal katana to a large cutlass.

"How the hell can you do that?"

"A long and complicated story. Which I won't need to tell."

The scythe cut through Rukia's neck, erasing her memories, again for 5 seconds.

She attacked the scythe-wielding boy, who seemed extremely surprised.

Which he was.

'Like that other Soul Reaper! How?!'

The nameless shinigami then noticed the sealed Zangetsu on her back.

"Shit, they're using the same swords!"

He'd only seen this once before, and the other two were a couple as well.

Still, they died during THAT incident, and their link was weak.

These two had a very strong one, and they knew what they were doing.

"That trick won't work separately! Do them both at the same time!"

This forced the two shinigami apart.

"I'll take care of the Captain! You two handle Rukia!"

"We don't take orders from you!"

"Just do it! I've got an idea!"

He went after Ichigo, catching up to him.

"You're fast, boy, I'll give you that."

"My name's Ichigo Kurosaki!"

"Any relation to Isshin?"

Ichigo attacked in response.

"How did your link form between you and Rukia?!"

"Shirayuki told me her name to protect me!"

That only happened one way.

"You're a Substitute?!"

He parried another strike from the man with no name and launched one of his own.

"That's right, I'm a Substitute Shinigami! That a problem?!"

'That makes this worse then you know, boy. Even if that kid reaps your memories along with Rukia's, she's just going to seek you out. She won't know why; she won't care why! All I need to know is this.'

"Do you love her?"

"What?!"

"Do you love Rukia?! It's a simple question!"

"I wouldn't've stormed heaven-"

He nicked the mask, creating a hole over the left eye.

"If I didn't love her more then life itself!"

The nameless shinigami jumped back, dodging Ichigo's swords.

He covered the hole over his eye.

"I approve."

"What?!"

"I consider Rukia the little sister I never had. If you're truly in love with her, then I approve of you. That does not mean, however, that I can leave you here!"

With Rukia

"We don't want to fight you, Rukia!"

"Then why are you here?!"

She used Sode no Shirayuki's Getsuga Tensho (an icy version that froze anything it made contact with, which both shinigami and zanpakutō spirit came up with during the Diamond Dust Rebellion) to attack the pair.

"You don't remember us?!"

"I don't know either of you!"

She dodged another swing of the scythe, then kicked the girl in the face.

Ichigo came in seconds later, hit with a nasty kick from the nameless shinigami.

"Ichigo!"

She then received a kick to the head from the nameless shinigami, which landed her beside Ichigo, their necks close enough together for one attack to reap them both.

"NOW!"

He complied, getting them both in one go.

The girl smiled.

"We have Rukia back!"

"Not entirely."

They looked at the nameless man who took the moniker of Nemo.

"They use the same zanpakutōs. A link was forged between them; a link that can never be broken, no matter how weak it gets. If you just take Rukia, he will go after her, and she will seek him out."

"Then we'll kill him!"

"You kill him, you kill Rukia. The link between them it that strong. And even if she survives, she will never forgive you, for they are lovers. If Rukia is your mother, then he will be your father."

Both looked at him, then they realized he was telling the truth.

"Leave their swords here, along with anything linking them to the Gotai."

The girl ripped off Rukia's black overcoat with glee, along with her two swords.

The boy carefully took off the Haori and overcoat, then placed the two swords on top of Rukia's.

The two incarnations of Zangetsu and Shirayuki fused back into one complete blade each.

"Let us pray that neither could use Bankai, otherwise their sword spirits will seek out another host."

"Why should we care?"

"Their ultimate goal will be to return to their true wielders. And they will not have our limitations. They will know where we are, no matter which world we are in."

The girl gave him a nasty look.

"You would know a lot about that, _Nemo."_

"I am not entirely a shinigami. That day changed who and what I am."

He opened a gate back to the Soul Society.

"I will meet you in Rukongai district 78. It was where Rukia lived before. And bring the Substitute with you, if you want to keep Rukia from regaining her memories."

Meanwhile

In a conjoined inner world, Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki listened in on the not-shinigami's words.

"We need to make contact with Tatsuki and Orihime. They are the only shinigami that can help us." She looked at Zangetsu.

"Why them?"

"Tatsuki Awisawa has not learned her sword's name, and Orihime cannot open Senkaimon gates. We can help them do both. I will go to Tatsuki."

"And I get the ex-airhead."

The Zarakified Orihime was easy to deal with.

While she had finally gotten over Ichigo, she used him as a replacement for Sora, her dead brother, even using the Kurosaki sisters' nickname for him.

Isshin...was a pain in the ass.

While he still did the 'daughter' thing, he knew that Orihime's love for Ichigo was no longer romantic, but platonic.

Still did it to tease his son, though, even though Rukia and Ichigo protested. (usually with a less brutal version of the Ass Whooping, but that's another story)

The two spirits soon materialized in the real world, and found their targets. Both were at Urahara's, likely learning more about their swords and their abilities.

They quickly shunpo'ed to the shop, where they found Urahara, who still looked like shit, even 5 months after the Ass Whooping.

"Excuse me, Urahara-san?"

He looked at them, then noticed what they were.

"Well, this is new. Zanpakutō spirits without wielders."

His hand inched toward Benihime, but Shirayuki stopped him.

"Our wielders were kidnapped by means neither of us completely understand. They erased their memories, and from the look of things, it erased their presence from yours, as well. Their names are Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki."

"Sorry, don't know them."

"We figured as much. There are two people in your training room, and we need to speak with them." This surprised Urahara, but he did hear a lot of banging from the training room.

"Sure. I'll-"

They phased through the floor.

"Oh. Forgot that you aren't normal people."

In the training room

"What the hell is going on?!"

Both girls were having a hard time figuring out what was going on, wondering how they got their abilities and why they were in the massive underground room. They were soon to get their answers. "Tatsuki Awisawa."

The black-haired girl turned to face an old man with long black hair, sunglasses and a tattered trench coat.

She drew her sword to defend herself.

"Who are you?!"

"Calm yourself. I am not your enemy. I can explain what is going on, but first, put your zanpakutō away."

Tatsuki sheathed her sword.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Zangetsu. My partner is talking to your friend, Orihime. To explain everything, take this."

He drew a large, oversized elegant cleaver and tossed it to her.

She picked it up, and the old man disappeared.

Then she remembered everything: her first real friend, Ichigo Kurosaki, her new friend, Rukia Kuchiki and how she gained her shinigami powers and all the adventures she'd been on since then, from dealing with the Bounts to the Diamond Dust Rebellion.

'They stole him away. They took my brother away from me!'

Like Orihime thought now, Tatsuki always thought of Ichigo as the overprotective brother that would do anything to keep his family safe.

And he did.

'_Tatsuki, until I am returned to Ichigo, I will let you use my power, and help you learn your zanpakutō's name_.'

Then the entire area was covered in 4 feet of snow.

'_It appears Orihime has used Shirayuki's Bankai_.'

'She's pissed.'

"WHEN I FIND YOU, I WILL KILL YOU!"

'_I suggest we get out of here. When Shirayuki's Bankai is used, it gets extremely cold_.'

The Soul Society

While everything was confusing as all hell, the 14th Division coped better then the others thanks to the leadership skills of Yoruichi Shihōin.

The new Third Seat made sure order was kept, and that damage to the Seireitei was minimized as much as possible.

She didn't know who her captain was, but it didn't matter: she was going to do her job.

"Get them out of there!"

Something was wrong.

Extremely wrong.

I think this will be the most interesting arc as of yet, as I am completely screwing with it.

And no, neither Orihime or Tatsuki will form a link with Rukia or Ichigo: this will be over within a few days, _Bleach_ Time, and neither got their abilities from Ichigo or Rukia. Also, the nameless shinigami is NOT my avatar. If it was, he'd be using an _ax_**,** not a _sword._ You'll find out more about him later on.

Besides, my hair may be getting darker, but it's more brown then black. (Don't ask me why, but I used to have golden blonde hair, and now it's browning)

Members of the 14th Division (seated officers only) as of _Fade to Black_:

Ichigo Kurosaki (Captain)

Rukia Kuchiki (Lieutenant)

Yoruichi Shihōin (Third Seat)

Hiyori Sarugaki and Lisa Yadōmaru (Both Fourth Seat) (If the 13th can do it...)

Orihime Inoue (Fifth Seat)

Uryū Ishida (Sixth Seat)

Yasutora 'Chad' Sado (Seventh Seat)

Tatsuki Awisawa (Eighth Seat)

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Ichigo and Rukia awaken in Rukongai with their captors while Orihime and Tatsuki arrive in the Soul Society to search for them.

Ja Ne!


	17. Chapter 16: Mother and Father

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 16: Mother and Father/Memories Returned/Dark Rukia is Born

(AUTHOR: If you've watched_ Fade to Black_, just skip this and go straight to the story)

Recap: Three spirits with a link to Rukia have kidnapped Ichigo and his girlfriend/Lieutenant. Two of the spirits have erased their memories, but were forced to bring Ichigo with them due to their link. Meanwhile, Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu had handed themselves over to Tatsuki and Orihime in order to get back to and save Ichigo and Rukia. Meanwhile, all hell has broken loose in the Seireitei. Who are the spirits responsible for this?

Orihime took three tries to get the gate open.

When she did, both she and Tatsuki were sucked in and spat out in the Soul Society.

"Never do that again."

Tatsuki got up from the ground, then drew her nameless zanpakutō.

Nameless only because she rarely fought with it, preferring to use her bastardized version of Flash Cry.

And by 'bastardized', I mean 'so ungodly powerful it scared Yoruichi'.

The only reason she was 8th Seat was because her sword fighting skills needed work, along with most of her shinigami skill set.

"What the hell happened here?"

There was white shit everywhere.

The only division barracks that were untouched was the 14th, thanks to it being outside the Seireitei.

"Come on, let's go."

Meanwhile

Ichigo woke up in a wooden shack, with Rukia right beside him.

He didn't remember much, only that he knew Rukia, and that he loved her.

"Ow. I feel like I was hit with a sledgehammer."

'_**Or had your head cut off**_.'

'What the hell?' (AN: Ichigo forgot about his Inner Hollow, but we haven't. He can't do shit at the moment, but once he can...)

Rukia stirred by his side, and Ichigo simply hugged her.

"Ichigo?"

Their link preserved memories of each other, but no one else.

"Rukia!"

A girl with mostly blonde hair, although some of it was pinkish-purple, hugged Rukia.

"I was so worried!"

"Who are you?!"

"Sister..."

She looked back at the younger boy with gray-purple hair.

"She can't remember you if she can't see your face. She looked Rukia in the eye and smiled.

"I...know you from somewhere."

"It's been a long time, Rukia."

She looked at the last person in the hut: a man whose face was mostly covered and who wore a shinigami uniform, complete with zanpakutō.

"You can relax. We knew each other once. I considered you my sister."

"What happened?"

He stood up.

"You fell unconscious one day, along with this man here. I couldn't move you on my own, as he held your hand so tightly I couldn't get it loose without ripping it off. It's very clear that you two are in love."

Both blushed at the comment.

"And who are you, young man? I would like to know the name of my brother."

"Brother?"

"Rukia is my sister in spirit, if not in blood. If you love her, and judging by the way you act, you do, then you are my brother."

Ichigo looked at the man closely. He was only worried for Rukia's safety.

"Ichigo. Ichigo Kurosaki. And you?"

"I died a long time ago, Ichigo. I don't remember my name."

Ichigo touched the girl's cheek.

"And what's your name?"

"We...don't have names. Before Rukia got sick, she was going to give us names."

Ichigo's natural protectiveness kicked in.

"What happened?"

The boy quickly thought of something.

"We don't know. All we know is that she got sick, and you came to help us. Told us to stay away for a while so we wouldn't get sick. Then you got sick, too."

The nameless shinigami stood up.

"You've been unconscious for a very long time. It took a lot of my survival skills to keep you alive."

He sighed.

"While you were out, you refused to let go of each other. I don't know what happened, but you clearly fell in love. And if Rukia's happy, I'm happy."

Ichigo hugged the girl. "I'm sorry."

The girl smiled.

"It's OK. You tried to help Rukia."

That much they did know: Ichigo laid down his life to protect Rukia at least three times over from what they saw in his memories.

Rukia hugged the girl as well.

This made her say one word: "Mama."

The shinigami laughed.

"If you're their mother, then Ichigo's their father! I guess that makes me the uncle, then!"

Back with the two Substitutes

Getting into the Seireitei was easy.

Getting information on Ichigo and Rukia?

Not so much, as everyone saw them as intruders and attacked on sight.

Tatsuki was currently fighting Byakuya while Orihime was engaged by Sajin Komamura.

That was saying a lot as other then Zaraki, Komamura was one of the strongest captains of the Gotai 14, with Ichigo and Yamamoto easily tied for the top position.

"For the love of God, just stop!"

Sajin went Bankai, and tried stomping her.

"Oh, shit. Santen Kesshun, I reject!"

The shield formed over Orihime's head, and she performed a few bastardized Flash Steps to get away from the Boot of God, as she would coin it later on.

"Captains Komamura and Kuchiki, stand down!"

Yoruichi walked over to them.

"These two are members of my Division!"

Then the ground shook.

"This could be very bad."

Another snake-like reishi construct came at them, and Toshiro subconsciously donned his Hollow mask to attack it.

He fired a very icy cero at it, freezing it completely.

The mask disintegrated seconds later.

"How the fuck did I do that?"

Another one was destroyed by another cero, fired from his Lieutenant.

"What the hell?!"

The mask faded away.

"I think we have a great deal of explaining to do."

Tatsuki scoffed.

"Worse understatement I have ever heard."

With the main characters of the story

Ichigo Kurosaki felt like he was the greatest man on the planet.

While they weren't his actual children, he was a perfect father for the two nameless spirits.

Hell of a lot better then his actual father, that's for sure.

Although the older girl still tried getting Rukia's attention, she started turning to him more and more.

As for the nameless shinigami, he seemed content to watch over them and nothing more, keeping a discreet distance with a smile on his face, but ready to help defend them at a moment's notice.

The girl held onto Ichigo's arm, clearly tired. "Papa..."

That got rid of Ichigo's usual scowl and replaced it with a smile.

He ruffled her hair, making her snuggle closer to him.

Rukia walked over with a smile on her face.

"Looks like she likes you."

"She called me 'papa'. I feel like-"

"The greatest parent in the world just by being there for them?"

She gave him a smile, then kissed him. "Me, too."

Then they heard an explosion off in the distance.

"What was that?"

"Tou-san, please don't go!"

Ichigo was conflicted. He wanted to help whoever was hurt, but Rukia and the others needed him.

"I will go."

They turned to face the nameless shinigami.

"I was a member of the Gotai 13. It is my duty to find out what happened. I will return as soon as I can."

He turned toward the Seireitei.

"Protect them with your life, Kurosaki!"

He shunpo'ed away, leaving them alone.

"He'll be back. He always is!"

The girl was worried, though.

With that link of theirs, Ichigo and Rukia were starting to remember who they were.

Even so, that meant nothing, as Ichigo, memories or no, would protect them, as he treated them like his own children.

He loved them.

But if Rukia remembered what happened...well, that wasn't happening.

1st Division barracks

"Well, that clears up most of everything."

"Most?! It should clear up _everything_: Aizen and the other assholes being gone, Yoruichi being a member of another division, the existence of the 14th Division in the first place-"

"Most, only because we don't remember, Eighth Seat Awisawa."

Tatsuki was still not used to being called that.

One of the two Fourth Seats of the 14th, (only because they knocked each other out in a match to decide who would be it and Ichigo decided to end it by putting them at the same rank) Lisa Yadōmaru to be exact, nodded.

"It explains why we're here."

The former 7th Division Lieutenant looked at Yamamoto.

"But that doesn't answer the question of who the hell is responsible for this entire debacle."

Tatsuki sighed.

"My oldest friend and captain, Ichigo Kurosaki. You've all forgotten about him and his Lieutenant, Rukia Kuchiki. Someone linked to ONE of them is responsible for this!"

Tatsuki turned to Byakuya.

"You told Ichigo that your wife's name was Hisana and that she left to look for someone in Rukon everyday, even when her health was failing her."

"I doubt that I am close to this Captain Kurosaki."

"Well, he _is_ dating your adopted sister."

Byakuya's eye twitched exactly three times.

'_**Urge to kill rising, huh**_?'

Byakuya shut his Inner Hollow up.

"Rukon district 78, Inuzuri. That is where Hisana was from."

The Fifth and Eighth Seats nodded.

"We'll focus our search there, then."

Toshiro looked at the two as if they were insane.

"Hold on! This is something we need to deal with!"

"Toshiro, we've got their swords. And we need to give them back to their rightful wielders."

His eye twitched.

"It's CAPTAIN HITSUGAYA!"

"They left already." Toshiro resisted screaming.

With the nameless man

The shinigami noted that the Gotai had the situation under far better control then he would have liked.

Unfortunately, he was noticed by members of the 2nd Division, and they got a good look at the right, uncovered, side of his face.

They knew him: he was the one who came up with the idea of Inner Hollows in the first place.

His body was never found, and it was assumed that he was killed by a Hollow over 60 years ago. "Inform Captain Suì-Fēng of the man's appearance."

"Understood."

2 hours later

"He should be back soon."

Then he came flying back on the tip of a large yellow missile, which exploded above their heads.

He landed a few feet away from the 'family'.

"Great. I got Bankaied." (AN: Three guesses as to whose Bankai that was)

Ichigo checked if he was alright, then he saw seven Shinigami enter the clearing they were in.

Five of them wore white Haori, meaning they were Captains of the Gotai 13.

The other two were women: women he recognized.

"Ichigo!"

Then another Captain popped up.

"I hate using my Bankai: too big, too flashy-"

Suì-Fēng was launched into a tree by a mighty fist.

"Too ineffective!"

The nameless shinigami's helmet was cracked, and he finally got tired of it.

"Get them out of here."

Ichigo opened his mouth.

"But-"

"I didn't mean _**you,**_ Kurosaki!"

The girl nodded and teleported them out of there.

Captains Komamura, Kuchiki, Kyoraku, Hitsugaya and Ukitake, along with Tatsuki and Orihime drew their swords.

"Who are you?"

"I have no name. I was called a prodigy for my ideas and my thoughts. Then the Hollow came and nearly killed me 60 fucking years ago!"

The Captains remembered that incident.

"You left me to die in Hueco Mundo! None of you tried to help me! The only one who tried was Rukia!You didn't even bother to look for me! For that I WANT YOU MOTHERFUCKERS DEAD!"

He removed the mask, showing that under it, his hair was white, and his left eye was that of a Hollow.

"I killed that thing and it became _**part**_ of me! It killed my Inner Hollow and zanpakutō spirit! _**I don't even know what the fuck I am anymore!**_"

He was clearly unstable, and only had one thought: revenge.

"Did you start this?! Did you create that reishi?! Did you take Rukia and Ichigo away?!"

"I didn't do that! I would've stormed the Seireitei and ripped it apart with my bare hands! Those two CHILDREN did that! They did everything! All I did was help them get to Rukia!"

Then he fell to his knees, and not of his own accord.

"Well, this is new. I can't believe you survived all these years in Hueco Mundo."

It was Kisuke Urahara, wearing the uniform of the Captain of the 12th Division, as Mayuri was...indisposed.

The man couldn't move, as he was hit in a a vital nerve cluster.

"YOU! Of all the people that betrayed me, you are the worst! You were my Captain! You should've helped me!"

"We did. But when that Hollow died, it exploded. We thought you were dead."

He started crying.

"You didn't even think to look."

Urahara looked at the other captains, and the Seated Officers of the 14th.

"Find those two. I'll deal with him."

Orihime and Tatsuki nodded.

"Come on; he's no longer a threat."

They ran and shunpo'ed off.

"Everything was gone, my friend: most of the barracks were destroyed and anyone near the explosion was killed."

"All those years that I thought I was betrayed by you... Oh, dear God, please..."

Urahara sighed.

"You want to protect them. Help us."

Research tower

Ichigo wondered how the girl did that, but that was no longer at the forefront of his mind as he now remembered everything.

They erased his memories.

They lied to him.

Still, he could understand why: they had lost someone they considered their mother, and he would do almost anything to get his own back.

"We need to keep running!"

"No."

Both siblings looked at Ichigo.

"You owe me and Rukia an explanation."

"But-"

Rukia gave them a hard look. "Ichigo's right! I've started remembering what happened over the past few years! I wasn't sick; I joined the Gotai 14! And you both-"

The girl screamed.

"NO!"

She pushed Ichigo away.

"Look, we understand! I can feel that damned Hollow inside your body! We have them, too!"

She looked at her surrogate father.

"Ichigo!"

Tatsuki and Orihime arrived.

"We're putting an end to this."

Tatsuki tossed him the oversized cleaver that was his zanpakutō.

"We don't want to hurt you. We just want this shit to end!"

"NO! If we can't have Rukia, no one can!"

"If you kill Ichigo-"

"We won't touch him!"

She started emitting reiatsu, but she was kicked in the face by the nameless shinigami before she could finish doing whatever she was doing.

"It's over."

She looked at him from the floor.

"I thought you were helping us."

"How dare you hurt my sister!"

He dodged the scythe-wielding boy's attack with practiced ease.

"I fought Adjuchas and Vasto Lordes in Hueco Mundo for 60 years! The shit you're throwing at me is pathetic!"

The girl fired what seemed to be a cero at him.

He blocked it with one finger.

His pinky finger, at that.

"You can't use your Hollow powers worth shit. Time to show you what a Hollow can really do."

His spiritual energy spiked.

"Resurrección: Hoja de Izquierda del Sendero de la Traición."

His lower left arm turned into a sickle-shaped blade, and most of his body was covered in bony armor plating.

"Resurrección is the Hollow version of Bankai. Allow me to show you what it can do."

The boy attacked, but the shinigami/hollow simply snapped the scythe in two before backhanding him into a wall.

The girl attacked him, but all he did was kick her away.

"My Hollow powers aren't even at Adjuchas-Level: at most, high Gillian. I'm not impressed with either of you."

The armor faded away, and the shinigami returned to normal.

"Holy shit. Can _we_ do that?"

He looked at Ichigo.

"I've been able to do that for 50 years. My Hollow side was a pain in the ass to control. And it's different for all with Hollow powers."

The girl performed her bastardized flash step and grabbed Rukia.

"Don't worry, Ichigo Otou-sama. We won't hurt you. But the Soul Reapers have to pay for what they did!"

"Hey, big guy? I think you should do that Hollow Bankai again!"

The four were hit with a wave of black spiritual energy.

"I think we're fucked."

In the twins' and Rukia's place was a taller, lighter haired Rukia, complete with that damned scythe.

"Oh, shit."

(While the Author was busy writing this chapter, someone invaded his house. The man is the hated Gendo Ikari)

GENDO: Hello, everyone. The Author is currently occupied, and I have taken the liberty to take over this Author's note.

(The Author is engaged in combat with Evangelion Unit-03, fighting it with his Bankai)

AUTHOR: WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, IKARI, I WILL KILL YOU!

GENDO: (pushes glasses further up his nose) You can try.

(Gendo then gets thrown by Ichigo into the doors to Hell)

GENDO: NO!

ICHIGO: Fuck off! (Turns to camera) Sorry about that, but Gendo wanted to take over the Soul Society, and the only portal around here is the Author's computer.

AUTHOR: ICHIGO, HELP ME KILL THIS THING!

Next time on _White Sun Rising_: Dark Rukia attacks the leaders of the 14th Division!

Ja Ne!


	18. Chapter 17: Lover's Quarrel

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 17: Lover's Quarrel/Hollow Rukia Attacks/Five On One/God of War/14 plus 3

Recap: The nameless shinigami has joined the Gotai 14 in stopping the twins from destroying the Soul Society, but it is too late, as the twins have fused with Rukia, creating what will be coined Dark Rukia. Will the fate of the twins and Rukia change? Or has the timeline been fixed no matter what Ichigo has done?

Ichigo would count this as the first REAL fight he and Rukia had after they started dating.

Although it technically wasn't Rukia, it counted.

"Great. She's a more powerful version of me."

She pointed her scythe at the nameless shinigami.

"**You will die**."

He quickly chanted his Resurrección inside his mind, parrying her attack.

While she had power, he had control.

At the moment, his experience saved his ass.

"Fuck!"

Then Dark Rukia started screaming.

"What the fuck?"

A second Rukia, white as fresh snow, appeared out of nowhere. Ichigo knew her: it was Rukia's Inner Hollow, whom the pair named Akayuki. (AN: Means 'Red Snow': fitting, as Hollows fight to kill)

"**Gotta say, Queen, I don't like the new look**."

She unleashed her Bankai wordlessly, and everyone that knew what it could do expected to freeze.

They didn't.

It seemed that her version of Sode no Shirayuki didn't have the freeze-your-ass-off function installed.

"**So, looks like I'll be having fun today**!"

Dark Rukia swung the scythe at Akayuki, who dodged the attacks as if they were child's play.

In a way, they were.

Orihime growled, her Inner Zaraki kicking in.

She Bankaied, then rushed Dark Rukia.

"Bankai: Anubis, Son of Nephthys!"

Damascus Black Steel met the amethyst blade, and the Hollowfied Rukia simply looked at Orihime. "**Die**."

She hit her with the shaft, blocking Akayuki's strikes with the blade. Ichigo rushed in with Zangetsu in hand, then took Sode no Shirayuki from Orihime.

"BANKAI!"

Dark Rukia dodged the twin Bankai-using Ichigo's attack.

"**If we have to hurt you to help you**..."

A male voice spoke next.

"**Then we will**!"

'_Great. Just fucking great. We're under attack by two crazy siblings controlling my wielder_!'

'Don't remind me!'

She fired off three Getsuga Tensho-like attacks from the scythe, missing the three fighters.

Tatsuki back-attacked Dark Rukia, but got backhanded for it.

"FUCK!"

The nameless shinigami attacked, but was launched into the reishi machine, making everything worse. "FUCKING BITCH!"

He attacked the freak of nature, unleashing his nameless Bankai in the process. (AN: Think an Ancient Nord Sword from _Skyrim,_ but with a red cutting edge)

While deadly looking, it was a kido-type zanpakutō.

She fired another Getsuga Tensho ripoff at the nameless man, who blocked it with his sword and reflected it back at her.

The look of shock on her face was priceless as she dodged the attack.

"A lot of Hollows had the same look in their eyes when I did that. It's a power of my blade."

Ichigo looked at him.

"What's its' name?"

"The spirit is dead. I _am_ the zanpakutō now."

Dark Rukia attacked the nameless man with the scythe, but Akayuki attacked her.

"**Sorry, Queen, but I'm kicking them out**!"

The nameless shinigami rushed at Dark Rukia, but as she did was kick him away.

Meanwhile

A reishi construct that looked like a massive squid appeared near the tower.

Hiyori Sarugaki scowled.

"Captain-General, when I get my hands on Mayuri, I am killing him!"

"Fourth Seat Sarugaki, _I_ will pass judgment on him, not you."

Kisuke chuckled.

"Hopefully, Tatsuki and Orihime got Rukia and Ichigo their swords back."

Then the nameless shinigami crashed nearby.

He looked like he'd been manhandled and tossed like a ragdoll.

"What happened to you?"

"Remember those kids? They fucking merged with Rukia! She's like me now, only on steroids!"

The fight was heating up near the tower.

"I need to get back there."

The squid-like construct attacked the Gotai leaders, but Yamamoto had other plans: he jumped into the air, taking off his jacket.

"Reduce All Creation to Ash, Ryūjin Jakka!"

It damaged the squid, but he would have to use his Bankai to finally take it out.

Not a good idea, but if it finally came to that, it would come to that.

"Nice shot, Captain-General!"

"All members of the Gotai 14, I order you to destroy that creature!"

The nameless shinigami smirked.

"Understood, sir!"

He charged at the target, firing kido and cero shots at it.

The Captains followed his example, releasing their zanpakutōs to their Shikai states.

The only exclusions were Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi, who used Flash Cry to attack the tentacles.

'_**Oi, Ice Man! Put on the mask**_!'

Toshiro decided to listen to his Inner Hollow and donned the mask, firing icy ceros at the monster.

The creature then batted Ikkaku, who went through five reishi pillars before hitting a rock hard one. "What the fuck is this thing?"

The top of it looked familiar.

"Oh, shit."

The ground started shaking. (AN: IT'S ZARAKI TIME! I ALWAYS say that when he pops up!)

The reishi was destroyed, and a column of reiatsu appeared in its' place. Kenpachi Zaraki, who was stuck in that shit since Kurotsuchi went crazy, was back.

Ikkaku was blown away by his captain's reiatsu, and Zaraki went on the attack.

"YOU! You made my eyepatch come off, didn't you?!"

He LIKED that eyepatch.

His giggling Lieutenant appeared on his shoulder seconds later.

"Good morning, Ken-Chan!"

"Hang on, Yachiru!"

With Zaraki in the fight, the Gotai 14's victory was almost assured.

Unfortunately, the battle for Rukia was not going as well.

With our heroes

Ichigo was getting annoyed with Dark Rukia.

Even with two Bankais, she was a pain in the ass to handle.

Even her Inner Hollow was having difficulty dealing with her new-and-improved host.

"**Jesus Christ! What's it gonna take to down this bitch**?!"

Ichigo had an idea, but it could be bad.

He put on the Hollow mask.

Any Hollowfied shinigami used basically the same system: Shikai for most targets, Bankai for something at Captain-Level and the Hollow mask for Vasto Lordes and anything higher. (If higher was possible)

Dark Rukia?

She was a Vasto Lorde-Level...whatever the hell she was.

Tatsuki attacked with her zanpakutō, but Dark Rukia just batted her away.

'_You need to work on your attacks, Awisawa_.'

Tatsuki knew that voice.

It was a man's: very regal, but simple. Reminded her of Byakuya, if he would a little more down to earth, but had Zaraki's warlike drive and Ichigo's will to protect those important to him and Tatsuki.

'_You are strong enough to call my name_.'

'You never told me what it was! Said I wasn't ready!'

'_You still aren't, but we are in danger._'

Tatsuki knew the release words, but not he name.

'_March with the Fury of the Divine, strike with the Iron Will_-'

"Montu!"

Tatsuki knew the name of her sword from history: the Ancient Egyptian God of War.

The sword changed into something like a khepesh, but a lot straighter: nothing like the straight blade/half moon that was Orihime's zanpakutō; more like a hybrid of Ichigo's and Orihime's Bankai, down to the Damascus Black Steel.

Akayuki distracted Dark Rukia long enough for Tatsuki to score a hit, but it was a glancing blow: only a Bankai could actually hurt her, and she was keeping the three Bankai-using shinigami away from her.

Tatsuki had two things on her side: speed and agility.

Montu increased both when released.

While her personality was a huge detractor, Suì-Fēng had been trying to get her into the 2nd Division for months due to her speed.

Problem was, speed did not equal stealth and Suì-Fēng failed to realize this.

Tatsuki realized that the only way she was going to beat Dark Rukia was to unlock her Bankai, and she was very far away from doing that.

Then she noticed a dragon flying around.

'Looks like Hitsugaya's been working on using that, what'd the big man call it, Resurrección?'

Unlike his zanpakutō, this was a European dragon with wings, arms and legs.

The mask had turned into a dragon's head, and it was firing ceros at the squid-like construct.

Dark Rukia turned her eyes on Toshiro and fired a shot at him.

The dragon-like body was destroyed, but Toshiro survived, and he was PISSED.

He wordlessly Bankaied and charged at Dark Rukia.

She dodged his stab and kicked him in the face, launching him toward Orihime.

Her breasts served as a kind of airbag, softening the impact. (AN: Still hurts like a bitch)

This served to piss off Orihime, as in Bankai, she had a very easy to set off hair trigger.

"DIE!"

Dark Rukia batted her into a wall with her scythe.

Only two people were able to fight her on equal terms: Akayuki and Ichigo.

Akayuki because she knew how Rukia thought, being part of her soul and all, and Ichigo because his level of spiritual energy was at least twice as high as hers.

He could stay in Bankai (with both zanpakutōs, if need be) for months.

It was only through Rukia's experience that Dark Rukia was able to fend off both Ichigo and Akayuki.

Her weapon was not designed to fight a shinigami with two swords, let alone a shinigami with two zanpakutōs and an Inner Hollow.

Unfortunately, Ichigo had an idea.

It was a strange reversal, but it would work.

His plan: impale Rukia through the heart, transferring enough reiatsu to her to force the twins out and have Orihime stand by to heal the kids.

Just because they kidnapped he and Rukia didn't mean they were bad: it just meant they needed a lot of attention and love. (AN: That, and those two seemed like nice kids to me: like Ichigo clones, only more...possessive)

He needed to use Sode no Shirayuki for this: using Zangetsu was a bad idea, as he could accidentally kill all three souls using the wrong blade. (AN: It's also more fitting)

Ichigo broke the scythe and impaled Rukia through the heart with Shirayuki.

In the canon timeline, the end result was Rukia regaining her true self without incident.

Unfortunately, you know the Author has a love of gigantic explosions.

As such, the consequences of this being an AU story have resulted in this: an explosion the size of one generated by a British Tallboy.

Considering that Tallboys were 2.5 ton bombs designed to crack open U-boat pens, it was a big explosion.

Although if Ichigo were using more spiritual energy, the explosion could have rivaled the Hiroshima nuke, or worse, the Czar Bomba.

Thankfully, Rukia and Ichigo were fine, and the twins were only a few meters away. Orihime was rushing at them, intending to kill them for all the bullshit they went through.

Ichigo used a combination of sonido and shunpo to stop Orihime's zanpakutō, still in Bankai, from killing the girl.

"Heal them."

"What? Ichigo-"

"Heal. Them."

His tone brooked no argument.

Orihime obeyed, slightly because of fear and mostly from respect.

Fear because Ichigo now had both his swords back and a twin Bankai attack from him was not something anyone survived.

Period.

She knew THAT from experience, as the Bounts were mostly wiped from the face of the earth from him doing that for the first time.

Blew up 500 square meters around a mansion and the mansion itself.

Respect because Ichigo was more powerful and a hell of a lot more merciful then any shinigami ever could be.

"Shoten Kōshun, I reject."

She formed the healing shield around the two, then Ichigo noticed some very, VERY wrong with this picture.

Both children wore shinigami robes, complete with zanpakutōs.

'Oh, shit.'

Shirayuki had a laugh at Ichigo's expense.

'_Oh, this is rich! You turned them into shinigami_!'

Ichigo had his revenge.

'Technically, _YOU_ turned them into shinigami.'

Shirayuki stopped laughing.

_'Fuck!'_

Then he saw Rukia.

While she was a picture of perfect health, there was one problem.

She was now only a head shorter then Ichigo and her hair was longer.

She was now roughly the same age as Hisana, her older, and dead, sister.

'_Holy fucking shit_.'

Ichigo and Shirayuki blinked.

Zangetsu never cursed.

Then again, Rukia had become the most beautiful woman the zanpakutō had ever seen sans Sode no Shirayuki.

Ichigo felt the same way, only the zanpakutō spirit took second place in the beauty contest.

It was personal taste and all three knew it.

Byakuya shunpo'ed in seconds later and looked at Rukia.

"What in the name of the Spirit King did you do to her?"

"Got those two kids out of her body. This was an...unintended side-effect."

Zaraki popped up seconds later.

"Whoa. I don't think I want to know."

Byakuya walked up to Zaraki and used the huge man as a wall to smash his head into.

As hitting Zaraki was like hitting the fist of God, it was a good substitute.

Shirayuki was getting a laugh out of it, and Ichigo was trying not to laugh.

Zangetsu was quiet, as usual, although he was, indeed, laughing his ass off mentally.

Rukia got up, then looked at Ichigo.

"What happened?"

He sighed.

"It's a long story."

Then she noticed her now-mature body.

"What the-"

Ichigo chuckled.

"Don't ask. I don't even know how it happened."

5 hours later: 4th Division Barracks

After a number of tests to confirm who she was, Rukia was discharged.

Byakuya was tempted to jump her: she did look almost exactly like her sister, minus the new hairstyle, which was the old one, but included a ponytail like Inoue's, complete with the weighted clip at the end.

She looked at the still unconscious girl.

"Homura."

Ichigo and Byakuya looked at her.

"I promised to give them names. That's her name. Homura. Homura Kurosaki."

Ichigo beamed with pride.

Byakuya was slightly horrified.

While he now accepted Ichigo courting Rukia, this was going a _little_ too far.

Then she looked at the boy.

"Shizuku Kurosaki."

A smile graced Ichigo's face.

He was a father, adoptive or not.

Homura woke up.

"Rukia?"

She was confused, as Rukia had grown a lot taller.

"Good morning, Homura."

She smiled and hugged her adoptive mother.

Byakuya looked at Ichigo.

"_Please_ tell me you are not marrying her."

Ichigo gave him a look that would have killed a lesser man.

"Not right now, Byakuya. Later? Hell, yes."

He decided to seek out Zaraki.

The walls weren't hard enough to bang his head off of anymore.

1st Division Barracks

"Ichigo Kurosaki, you are the largest pain in the ass I have ever commanded. Seeing as I have commanded the Gotai 14 for 2000 years, that is saying something."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure whether to feel insulted or not."

Yamamoto chuckled.

"But you are the best pain in the ass I have ever commanded. When you deal with a situation, you deal with it quickly. You stopped the reishi machine from completely destroying the Seireitei, dealt with the two spirits responsible for this debacle-"

"Not exactly."

Rukia walked into the room, the twins and the nameless shinigami on her coattails.

Yamamoto raised an eyebrow.

"Do I _want_ to know what happened?"

The now-mask-wearing nameless man shrugged.

"Honestly, I don't think you do, sir."

Yamamoto was tempted to visit the world of the living to buy aspirin for new headache.

He would send Ichigo to get it later.

"As these three are rather...unique, I would like to induct them into the 14th Division."

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto did the one thing he usually did not do.

He choked on air.

Ichigo Kurosaki was going to be the death of him: he was sure of it.

But when Ichigo was right, Ichigo was right.

And he was _always_ right.

He resisting screaming, although the look on his face was absolutely priceless.

"And what are their names?"

"Rukia named the twins, and since I am dating her, she gave them my surname as well. Their names are Homura and Shizuku Kurosaki. The big guy-"

He stepped forward.

"I refer to myself as Nemo. No surname."

Yamamoto sighed.

"The children will have to show us their...abilities-"

Both teleported out of the room.

Suì-Fēng blinked, then smiled and blushed contently.

She was currently having a waking wet dream about having them in her Division.

"**No**. Those kids are _mine,_ Suì-Fēng. They aren't normal shinigami; thus, they are my Division's problem."

She wasn't listening.

"Oh, God."

...I cannot believe I just did that.

I mean, picturing Suì-Fēng like that was creepy. VERY creepy.

I don't know how I wrote that while not screaming my ass off.

Now, for a detailed breakdown of Tatsuki's zanpakutō, Montu.

Montu or Monthu (same pronunciation)

Name means: Nomad (Egyptian, named after Egyptian God of War)

Sealed form: Regular Steel **Xiphos** (Spartan short sword; length: 65cm)

Shikai: Damascus Black Steel Nodai/Khepesh hybrid (Japanese long sword/Egyptian sickle-sword; length: 130cm)

Bankai: As above, but with two swords and knuckleduster guards; name: Montu-Ra (named after hybrid of Montu and Ra, Egyptian sun god)

Abilities: Enhanced speed and agility; enhanced kido use; enhanced Super Flash Cry (as nicknamed by Yoruichi)

Advantages: Increased speed close to Yoruichi's level

Disadvantages: Increased vulnerability to counterattack

As such, I made Tatsuki Orihime's perfect partner.

'How the fuck does that work', you ask?

While Orihime's zanpakutō is a nasty one to fuck with, it's not offensive: it's actually defensive, as a khepesh can trap an enemy's weapon while the shield defends against another target.

Tatsuki's is the polar opposite, designed to hack a target apart with zero difficulty.

Together, you have a team almost as effective as Ichigo and Rukia.

Almost, because together, Ichigo and Rukia can destroy two continental plates.

The Asian and Pacific plates, to be exact.

Anyone with any knowledge of plate tectonics will tell you that those two are the largest plates on this planet.

I think Aizen will be shitting bricks of pure neutronium for the next few months.

When you shit bricks of pure neutronium, you know you're fucked.

And Aizen has been shitting bricks of pure neutronium for the past 5 months.

AIZEN: I will kill you later! (Runs to bathroom)

AUTHOR: You can try!

Also, I'm putting out a call for any artists who are reading this: I need a proper cover. As always, credit will be given.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: An extremely pissed off Aizen sends the Espada to Karakura! Their mission: kidnap Orihime Inoue!

Ja Ne!


	19. Chapter 18: Return of Aizen

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 18: Return of Aizen/The 14th Division vs. Arrancar/Target: Orihime/Next Stop: the World of Hollows/Nel

Recap: The Fade to Black Incident has passed, but everything is about to get worse. Sosuke Aizen is about to send his best Arrancar, the Espada, to capture Orihime Inoue. But unlike in another timeline, the Gotai 14 are more then ready to face the threat and trade Aizen's private army blow for blow. How will the sword of fade swing this time? Will the Espada capture Orihime? Will the Gotai 14 claim victory?

Sosuke Aizen scowled.

The look was better suited for Ichigo Kurosaki, but he pulled it off remarkably well. "Ulquiorra." The fourth Espada bowed to his master.

"Yes, Aizen-sama?"

"Take Yammy and go to Karakura Town. Try to be discrete."

While most would be insulted, Ulquiorra knew better: Yammy was as stealthy as a postage truck on a radar screen.

"Understood, my lord. And our mission?"

"Testing Ichigo Kurosaki, for one, and capturing one of his friends would be a bonus."

"Thy will be done."

With our heroes

Ichigo and Rukia were using Urahara's training room to spar with one another. Both had Bankaied 20 minutes into the fight.

They were training under their subordinate, the man called Nemo.

He was teaching them how to use their Resurrección, which was difficult as all hell, as the couple had nameless ones.

He said this was both a good thing and a bad thing: the shorter the name, the more powerful the Resurrección.

Nameless ones were ungodly powerful.

The problem was using them in the first place, as no name equals difficulty of usage.

So he forced the two to try and kill one another.

Problem was, either were trying to kill one another.

Being close to the same power level and being in love had its' drawbacks.

If he had to, he would request the Captain-General and Zaraki to get their asses down to the shop to train with Ichigo and Rukia.

"Come on! You can do this! Use your Resurrección!"

Ichigo donned the mask, followed by Rukia, whose mask was a mirror of Ichigo's.

He sighed.

He was half-tempted to do it the same way he did it: sending them to Hueco Mundo and fighting enough Hollows to make them use it.

Problem was, he was more Hollow then shinigami: comes from absorbing a Hollow.

"If I have to get those kids down here-"

"What?"

He turned to face the second Kurosaki siblings.

"Jesus. Scare the fuck out of me, why don't ya?!"

Homura looked at her fighting parents.

"What's going on?"

"I'm trying to make them use their Resurrección. Problem is, they are unwilling or unable to kill one another! It's the only way from a shinigami to use it for the first time!"

Shizuku looked sheepish.

"We can use them."

"That's different. You two are more Hollow then shinigami, like me. Us being able to do it is as natural as breathing. A shinigami, on the other hand..."

Homura got it.

"Should we help them?"

He looked at the eldest sibling.

"What?"

"Homura, you were unwilling to kill Ichigo when you two possessed Rukia. You simply love them too much."

He sighed.

"Problem is, the only opponents I can think of for them to fight are each other and the Captains of the 1st and 11th Divisions. Unless we bring in a fucking Vasto Lorde-"

He never finished the sentence, as that was when he sensed THEM.

"Fuck! Arrancars."

"Ar what?"

He got rid of the bait, then shunpo'ed out.

"He never tells us anything!"

The younger sibling teleported into the middle of his parents' spar, stopping them both.

"Your 'trainer' just left: something about some kind of Hollow."

With the Arrancar

"Yammy, Aizen-sama told us to be discrete. A crater as deep as you are tall is NOT discrete."

The large Arrancar was about to retort when he was kicked by a shinigami.

Ulquiorra _knew_ this shinigami.

They had fought once before, and both barely came out alive.

"Ulquiorra Cifer!"

"Nameless shinigami. We meet once again."

Yammy was knocked the fuck out, and while he was a hand-to-hand fighter, the nameless shinigami matched him in that skill.

This would be a sword fight, as much as he hated fighting with his sword.

He drew the weapon and attacked.

Both engaged in combat, the shinigami countering each of Ulquiorra's attacks with ease, and Ulquiorra doing the same.

While Ulquiorra was powerful, Nemo simply had more experience, and that was the only thing keeping both from outright killing one another.

"Nemo-san!"

A girl with pink-blonde hair attacked Ulquiorra with an armored foot, followed by a boy with a sword.

The girl drew her sword, but clearly had little experience using it.

"Destroy his past, Omoide no Shinigami!"

The boy's sword turned into that scythe we all know and really, really hate.

Ulquiorra noted that the boy fought better with his Shikai then with his Sealed blade.

There was a story here, but he focused on dodging the attacks rather then wondering how he fought like that.

"Harvest, Seimei no Karitori!"

The girl's sword also turned into a scythe.

The meant one of two things: either they had the same mindset, or they were siblings.

"Getsuga Tensho!"

He dodged what was now Rukia and Ichigo's signature attack, although launched from both shinigami.

'Siblings it is, then.'

Then another Getsuga came his way, this time from his left.

This one was black and red, and came from Ichigo Kurosaki, who had just arrived.

Another came his way, this time from the right and from Rukia Kuchiki.

The nameless shinigami, now known as Nemo, made a follow-up attack with his Shikaied zanpakutō.

'Engaging 5 shinigami, and with Hollow powers, no less, is suicide. I will need to fall back.'

Then the captain-level Orihime Inoue appeared out of nowhere and charged him with her Bankaied zanpakutō.

The female Zaraki attacked as if her life depended on it.

Ulquiorra was scared shitless, although he hid it EXTREMELY well.

'Damn it, another captain-level shinigami!'

Then Tatsuki Awisawa entered the fray with her Shikaied sword.

'Son of a BITCH.'

Ulquiorra noticed that he REALLY needed help.

Yammy was either dead or still knocked out, so he was out of the question.

Then a large number of arrows were shot in his general direction by Uryū Ishida.

Life was made worse for Ulquiorra when Chad arrived and attacked on sight.

He needed to retreat.

Quickly.

He opened a Garganta, but instead of him going through, the 5th and 6th Espada came out.

It seemed that Aizen had a feeling that Ichigo would be a LOT stronger then he originally thought.

Still, sending Starrk or even Tier would have been more helpful.

Grimmjow engaged the twins, who proceeded to teleport around him and kick his ass.

Poor bastard never had a chance in hell.

Nnoitrawas engaged by Chad and Uryū, along with the two shinigami girls.

That meant Ichigo, Rukia and Nemo were going to engage him.

'Fuck.'

The three attacked Ulquiorra, and the Espada quickly realized that he would have to use his Resurrección to beat them back.

Thankfully, Grimmjow released, forcing the Kurosaki twins back.

This had the added effect of knocking Orihime out.

The mission wasn't completely botched.

He grabbed the girl then ran for the portal.

"Fucker, get back here!"

All three Espada got the hell out of there.

The 14th Division kicked their asses, and they were not in the mood to get killed by the leader of that Division.

He outgunned them and they knew it.

Soul Society: 1st Division Barracks

Yamamoto wasn't surprised that the shinigami named Nemo knew more then anyone about the Arrancar and the Espada: he spent 60 years in Hueco Mundo, and had to run into them more then once.

"When what do they want with Inoue?"

Ichigo growled.

"Her abilities. She can bend space and time to her will."  
"That doesn't mean she's like a weaker version of the Hōgyoku. Besides, she's got Zaraki's persona tacked onto hers. She'll destroy whatever fortress Aizen has and get the hell out."

Homura shrugged.

"Unless she's tied up with Sekki-Sekki Rock or something."

Ichigo looked at Homura.

"Thank you for that image."

Hueco Mundo: Las Noches

Orihime was out of her uniform, wearing one of the Espada ones, (against her will) and her sword had been snapped in two.

Thankfully, Nephthys reverted back to her Shikai state just before Coyote Starrk, the Primara Espada, snapped it in half.

"What the hell? It changed color!"

Aizen looked at it.

"It reverted back to its' Shikai before you broke it."

Orihime gave Aizen a look that could set people on fire.

And it did, indeed, set him on fire.

Don't ask me how: this is _Bleach_, for Christ's sake.

Nothing follows the laws of physics here!

Grimmjow got a quick laugh from it before Ulquiorra shut him up.

Gin joined Grimmjow in laughing his ass off.

Aizen ran outside and jumped into the sand, putting out the fire; he did have a few third-degree burns, however.

"How did you do that?"

"I'm told I have a _lot_ of repressed anger."

Tosen raised an eyebrow.

"And now?"

She smirked.

"I'm not repressed anymore!"

Soul Society: 14th Division Barracks

"Yoruichi, you're in charge until we get back."

The werecat looked at Ichigo.

"Huh? What?"

"We're going to rescue Orihime."

"_We_?"

She looked and saw most of the seated officers and the three unseated spirits (no other term for them, as they were neither shinigami nor Hollow) getting ready for battle.

The only ones missing were the two Vizard Fourth Seats.

"I'm going with you!"

"I am NOT leaving those two in charge. Despite your...quirks, I trust you with commanding this Division. Those two would run it into the ground."

Yoruichi raised an eyebrow, but he was right.

Those two were NOT leadership material.

"But how are you going to get to Hueco Mundo?"

The leaders of the 14th looked at Nemo.

"I've been practicing. Basically like opening a Senkaimon, but you picture a desert rather then the Seireitei."

"And without letting the Hollows in?"

He shrugged.

"I can keep them out for 5 minutes. No more, no less."

It was time to get moving.

"We are going to get locked up for this."

Rukia scoffed.

"Technically, this is a rescue mission. The 14th Division will not leave one of their own in enemy hands."

Nemo drew his sword and opened a corrupted Senkaimon gate.

It wasn't a Garganta because it was generated by someone who was a shinigami at first rather then a Hollow.

"Get your asses through! 5 minutes!"

Ichigo and Rukia ran through first, followed by Chad, Uryū and Tatsuki, then the twins.

Nemo was the last one through, then the gate closed.

Yoruichi sighed.

"I assume you heard all of that, Suì-Fēng?"

The captain of the 2nd Division came out of the shadows.

"I did. The Captain-General won't like it, but Kuchiki had a point."

"Then you'd better get a team ready to support those kids. Then again..."

Yoruichi smirked.

"Ichigo stormed the Seireitei with 6 people, including me. He's got 8 people with him, and three of them know the lay of the land."

"I'll get a team ready, anyways. Just in case."

Hueco Mundo

The team landed in the white sands of the Hollow world.

"I HATE this place. Sand gets everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE."

Nemo's point was proven when his uniform started leaking sand.

"Goddamn it!"

Ichigo looked around.

"So, this is Hueco Mundo."

He saw a cloud in the distance.

"What the hell?"

Nemo looked at it.

"Saw it a few times, but never paid it any mind."

Ichigo looked at him.

"What? It was 20 years ago and I was fighting a fucking Hollow."

Ichigo shunpo'ed closer and noticed that the cloud was in fact a young girl being chased by three Hollows.

He didn't stop to think how the hell a human girl would be in Hueco Mundo.

He drew and released Zangetsu instead.

He took careful aim to not hit the girl, but that also meant that he wouldn't hit the Hollows, either.

Oh, well: didn't matter in the end.

"GETSUGA TENSHO!"

The beam shot from the blade, missing the Hollows by a few meters.

It also scared the shit out of them.

They backed off, scared shitless.

'Something is **extremely** wrong with this picture.'

Shirayuki and Zangetsu agreed.

'_And that girl isn't human_.'

It was then that Ichigo noticed that the girl had a mask on top of her head: badly damaged, but a mask nonetheless.

'SHE'S an Arrancar?!'

Zangetsu scoffed.

'_Clearly_.'

"You didn't need to do that! We were just playing!"

The green haired girl spoke with a slight lisp (which the Author will NOT replicate due to his status as a grammar Nazi) when she yelled at him.

'A child Arrancar, no less.'

His urge to protect everyone and thing had been unknowingly used against him.

'I feel violated.'

'_How do you think WE feel, Ichigo_?'

'Shirayuki, I do not need your shit. I feel bad enough as is.'

"Wait, what are you? You're wearing a shinigami outfit and you got a...sword..."

The rest of the 14th Division's higher ranking officers, Ichigo and Rukia's adopted children and Nemo arrived seconds later.

"Great, you ran into one of the outcasts."

Ichigo looked at Nemo.

"Outcasts?"

The formally nameless shinigami sighed.

"She used to be a member of the Arrancar army. From the look of things, a Vasto Lorde. Looks like she was kicked out."

Ichigo looked at him.

"I thought Aizen needed the Hōgyoku to make Arrancar."

"He doesn't need one: it just makes the job go a LOT faster."

Ichigo and Rukia gave him a blank look.

Nemo sighed.

"All a Hollow needs to do is remove the mask to gain shinigami powers: polar opposite of a Vizard, but MUCH harder. Arrancar have been around for at least 60 years, since I ran into a few when I showed up in Hueco Mundo last time."

Homura looked at Nemo.

"We actually saw a couple of them when we showed up here."

He corrected his estimate.

"At least a century, then. They can also form naturally: if a Shinigami can unlock its' Hollow powers, who's to say that a Hollow can't unlock their shinigami powers?"

Ichigo saw why Nemo was considered a contender for captaincy of the 12th Division.

He didn't have the power level, but he had the mind, and in the 12th, that's all that mattered. He knelled before the little Arrancar.

"What's your name?"

"Nel! Nel Tu!"

He took off the partial mask, showing the Hollowfied parts of his head.

"You're like me!"

"In a way, we all are."

Uryū scowled, but he had a point: if shinigami could develop an Inner Hollow, anyone could, including Quincies.

He affixed the mask to his face again and stood up.

"You can call me Nemo. This is Ichigo Kurosaki and Rukia Kuchiki. They're both shinigami, but they have Hollow powers, so you have nothing to fear."

'_He's good with kids. When you and Rukia finally have a few, you should let him babysit_.'

Ichigo and Rukia facepalmed at Shirayuki's comment.

'_Hold it, I was just talking to Ichigo. Uh-oh_.'

Their link had grown stronger again: now either sword spirit could talk to both of them at the same time.

Nel looked at them.

"They got Hollow powers?"

"They can form a mask over their faces, giving them the ability to use ceros and sonido. Quite a few of us can do that, as well."

'VERY good with kids.'

Before they could introduce themselves any further, a sand construct appeared.

"Not this asshole again!"

Runuganga, the guardian of the white desert of Hueco Mundo, formed in front of them.

Rukia looked at Nemo.

"You know this thing?!"

"It tried to kill me! Twice!"

He quickly entered his Resurrección, then Bankaied.

"Any ideas how to kill it?!"

"Burn the sandy bastard to death!"

That gave Ichigo a nasty plan.

"Uryū, have you been brushing up on kido?"

Uryū looked insulted.

"You know that both Sado and I have been taking kido classes!"

"Hadō 31."

Uryū liked Ichigo's plan: turn the fucker into glass.

Thanks to Nemo, who was a kido master thanks to his now-long dead zanpakutō, both chanted the incantation in their heads.

'Ye lord! Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Inferno and pandemonium, the sea barrier surges, march on to the south!'

Not only did it go faster, the enemy never saw it coming until it was damn near too late.

"Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"

They opened fire with the flaming kido spells, and everyone scattered.

Nemo used sonido to get Nel and her comrades the hell out of there, while everyone else used shunpo or teleported in the case of the twins.

The huge Hollow turned to glass within seconds.

"Nice to see what I've been teaching isn't going to waste."

Nel looked at the remains of the massive Hollow.

"Wow!"

Ichigo appeared next to them seconds later.

"Look, Nel, we need a way to get to Aizen's fortress."

The Tiki Hollow, Dondochakka Birstanne, looked at Ichigo as if he were insane.

"Las Noches?! That's insane, don't you know?!"

Rukia looked at him.

"Look, Ichigo's Inner Hollow has the power of a Vasto Lorde and he can kill one with ease. Besides, all you need to do is lead us there. We'll do the rest."

Nel looked at Rukia

"We're going with ya!"

Both Hollows (although Nemo and Ichigo suspected that they were actually Arrancar) looked horrified at the thought.

"You're nuts, Nel!"

"Aizen hurt all those Menos before! He's gotta pay!"

Rukia and Ichigo shared a look.

It appeared that not all Menos Grande sided with Aizen, and clearly, neither did a few Arrancar.

'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'

"Nel, we're going after Aizen. He's why we're here."

It was the beginning of an odd alliance, but it worked, right?

Aizen is screwed. There is no getting around that.

As for Nel, she'll end up back to normal in a few chapters, and permanently, as well, joining the 14th division as a seated officer. Other Arrancar will join the 14th Division and the rest of the Gotai 14, but not all will join, as some will stay in Hueco Mundo.

Who's joining?

Read on to find out.

Also, the names of the twins' zanpakutōs are a play on scythes and what the twins did in the series with them: Omoide no Shinigami, for example, translates into 'Reaper of Memories' and Seimei no Karitori means 'Reaper of Life' in Japanese.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Aizen finds out that Ichigo's arrived with most of the officers in his division, and Orihime breaks out of jail.

(An eyepatch-wearing Orihime walks in)

ORIHIME: It's Zaraki Time, motherfuckers!

AUTHOR: RUN!

Ja Ne!


	20. Chapter 19: Breaking Into Las Noches

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 19: Breaking Into Las Noches/Fucking Clones/Freedom

Recap: Ichigo Kurosaki has begun his second invasion of a spirit realm in just under a year, this time going to the world of Hollows, Hueco Mundo. The Gotai 14 prepares for war while Ichigo rescues his friend and subordinate, Orihime Inoue, and making allies there, the first being Nel Tu and her adoptive family. Aizen, scared shitless that Ichigo could kill him-which he can-orders the 9th Espada to intercept the team. What is so special about the 9th Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie? And what secrets does Nel hold? And what of the rest of the Espada?

Aizen was pacing the hall like a madman.

Normally, he was composed and calm.

Today?

Not today.

Ichigo Kurosaki had invaded Hueco Mundo, and he brought at least 5 people with him.

As Ichigo kicked his ass 6 months back, Aizen had every right to be worried.

He had one trump card, though: the 9th Espada.

'He might delay them long enough for me to get a proper defense up and running.'

As Momo still had his zanpakutō, and he was not getting it back, he had to make do with a zanpakutō he took from the 11th Division.

It wasn't anything like Kyōka Suigetsu, but it was better then nothing.

With our heroes

Unfortunately for Aizen, the Demi-Hollow named Nemo's zanpakutō was like Momo Hinamori's, but while Momo was more like light artillery, Nemo's blade was deigned to lob a kido or cero at a target and blow it to hell.

They weren't coming in through one of the entrances.

They were going to blow open the dome.

"Take this, motherfucker!"

He lobbed it at the wall, and it was enhanced by everyone firing their best ranged attack (Kuroi Getsuga Tensho for the Kurosakis and Rukia, a super-powered arrow from Uryū and El Directo from Chad) and adding it to the kiro bolt.

The protective dome cracked under the pressure, and the explosion was akin to that from a MOAB.

The hole was massive, and there was no way anything could stop them from getting inside.

"Let's move!"

Everyone held onto the twins as they teleported them inside the hole, and into the fortress.

"Well, this is new."

A man stood near a column, in the shade.

"I don't like being in the light, but for you..."

He walked out.

"I'll make an exception."

He looked like Ichigo, only with black hair and different colored eyes.

Rukia and Sode no Shirayuki were stunned.

The shock transformed quickly into pure rage.

"Who are you?"

"What, Rukia, don't remember me? It's me, your old Lieutenant, Kaien Shiba."

Ichigo wasn't impressed.

"Get moving."

They all looked at Ichigo.

"This guy is for me and Rukia to deal with. Find Orihime and get her out of here."

Ichigo's tone brooked no argument.

They quickly left using shunpo or their race equivalent.

The couple drew both their zanpakutōs.

"I don't know what you are and I don't care. Kaien Shiba died 50 years ago and you're just making a mockery of his memory!"

He narrowed his eyes.

"Fine. I'll prove to you that I am who I look like."

He drew his sword.

Rukia was angered even more, as it was Kaien's zanpakutō, Nejibana.

'_Rukia, can you hear that_?'

'Hear what?'

'_Nejibana is crying out. And she is not alone. I hear three other voices crying with her_.'

Ichigo heard it plain as day.

And it sickened him.

"That's it. I am going to kill you very, VERY slowly."

Ichigo didn't even say a word after that, mentally or otherwise.

Both swords Bankaied, and a partial mask formed over the right side of his face.

Clearly, his Hollow was just as pissed off.

Rukia soon followed.

"You both have the same zanpakutōs? That's unique. Not going to help you, though."

With Orihime

Sekki-Sekki Rock or not, nothing would contain a pissed off Orihime Inoue forever.

And that included the cell she was in.

The room started shaking from the spiritual pressure she was giving off.

She pulled Zaraki's most famous move: the column of reiatsu that resulted from him taking off the eyepatch.

It broke the seals and shattered the Sekki-Sekki Rock, and it repaired her zanpakutō.

"BANKAI: ANUBIS, SON OF NEPHTHYS!"

Her Bankai had changed during her time at Las Noches, as the shield had changed from regular steel to the same metal as the sword itself, and had gotten bigger and closer to a European design.

As for the sword itself...it got nastier.

It got longer.

The blade was serrated on both sides, and was now a massive 160cm long.

Orihime's physical features changed slightly: her irises were now blood red, her hair color was now closer to Zaraki's black, her muscles were bulkier, and she was slightly taller now.

A dozen Arrancar ran into her cell, then began shitting their pants.

Orihime was free, and she was _pissed._

With Ichigo and Rukia

The 9th Espada was having a hard time dealing with both Rukia and Ichigo.

Of course, he was also distracted by Orihime breaking out of her cell and blowing up the building she was in.

Aizen was NOT going to be happy.

Ichigo and Rukia, however, had a better goal then killing the 9th Espada.

Somehow, someway, Kaien Shiba and his wife Miyako were still alive, although they had been absorbed by the Hollow that was now Aaroniero Arruruerie.

They had to get them the hell out of the Arrancar's body.

Ichigo had an idea and relayed it via Shirayuki: they had to pull the same thing that got Homura and Shizuku out of Rukia during the Fade to Black Incident.

'If it worked once, it'll work now.'

'_Ichigo, you are insane. Those were different circumstances_!'

Ichigo did not care what either Zangetsu or Shirayuki thought at the moment.

All he knew was that two fellow shinigami were stuck inside an Arrancar and they needed to get them the hell out.

Rukia's thoughts ran on the same lines.

"To hell with this!"

He started spinning the sword.

"Oh, shit!"

"Rage through the sea and the heavens, Nejibana!"

Nothing happened.

"What?!"

He stopped spinning the blade.

"Why won't you obey?!"

Rukia smirked.

Either Nejibana was refusing to do the bastard's dirty work or Kaien was trying to enforce his will on the Arrancar.

Probably both.

"Ichigo, I have an idea!"

"Just do it!"

The pommels of Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki and Tensa Zangetsu touched.

Rukia had figured that their link had screwed with their Resurrección.

It probably needed the two blades in contact to do it now.

The pommels became one, and Rukia was obscured by light and dust.

Aaroniero was screwed.

When the dust cleared, Rukia looked a lot different.

Her uniform was replaced with the outfit she wore as Dark Rukia, only with sandals.

And the temporarily fused zanpakutōs?

They became a scythe.

It was a simple metal shaft with a spinning top-shaped end cap on the bottom and a large, but plain, blade.

She also looked like Dark Rukia, as it had changed her hair color.

Her 'children's' influence, no doubt.

"A nameless Resurrección?! That's impossible!"

She opened her eyes.

Those hadn't changed.

"With me and Ichigo working together, Arrancar, NOTHING is impossible. Speaking of which, you have two shinigami being held inside your body. I am going to give you one chance to stand down and give them back to us. If not, you will still give them back, but we won't be as nice about it."

"Like hell I will! Those two gave me the power to become an Espada!"

"After we're done with Aizen, there won't be an Espada left. Last chance before I cut them out."

Kaien's ghost snarled.

"Fuck you, you shinigami bitch!"

"I am _not_ just a shinigami."

She teleported toward him and hacked off his left arm.

The blade then phased through the 9th Espada, and out of him came a naked, but alive and well, Miyako Shiba.

Ichigo used sonido and took off his Haori, as he was still a prude when it came to immodest and naked women.

Of course, Miyako didn't have much of a choice in the matter.

He covered her with the overcoat and reentered the fray.

His job was to make sure Aaroniero didn't escape or try to reabsorb the people they were trying to save.

This was mostly Rukia's battle, not his, and he knew it.

He couldn't even use his Resurrección, and God knew he had been trying to.

The Espada's strength had dropped with Miyako no longer inside him.

'Bastard needed a shinigami just to get to Gillian-Level. I feel sickened just looking at him.'

'_At the Arrancar...or at Kaien_?'

Ichigo scowled.

'At the **Arrancar,** Zangetsu! Bastard's just using his face!'

He could still hear two souls crying out in anguish.

He assumed one of them was Kaien.

The other, he wasn't so sure of, and although his detection skills had improved thanks to Shirayuki, he still didn't have a clue.

'It's not another shinigami: someone that could've, maybe. Reiatsu feels like...'

Shirayuki finished for him.

'_It feels like Rukia's_!'

Ichigo stopped moving just as Rukia's blade hit the Espada, freeing Kaien from the Arrancar.

This was good and bad.

The good part was that he wasn't too much of a danger now.

The bad part?

The reiatsu signature was akin to Rukia's, and could only be one person.

And the fucker's appearance proved it, as he now had a female body.

A body that looked like Rukia's.

'That's Hisana! It has to be!'

It appeared that when Hisana died in the Soul Society, the same Hollow that killed Kaien years later devoured her soul just as it was reentering the cycle of reincarnation.

He used shunpo to catch Kaien and quickly placed him beside his wife, covering them with the Haori. "Damn you, you fucking bitch!"

The Arrancar using Hisana's form attacked the shocked Rukia, who only managed to parry its' attacks.

This only made Akayuki, Rukia's Inner Hollow, angrier.

This bastard defiled Hisana's body and soul.

Akayuki took control of Rukia's body, then counterattacked.

"**YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR USING HER AGAINST THE QUEEN**!"

Ichigo wisely decided to let Akayuki vent.

He just prayed that she would save Hisana before delivering swift justice.

'Great, I paraphrased that asshole, Tosen.'

'_I think he would agree with you, though_.'

Akayuki was not going to kill Aaroniero.

Not yet.

First, she would get Hisana out of the fucker's body.

Then she would get back in Rukia's normal form to Dance him to death using her Bankaied Shirayuki.

"Fuck!"

The scythe made contact, and Hisana was freed from the Arrancar.

Akayuki left her Resurrección form and sheathed Zangetsu.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

The Arrancar, which now had a simple helmet covering his head, was frozen in place.

The mask then disintegrated, revealing two tiny heads frozen in place in a glass container.

'That's disgusting.'

"Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"

She stabbed the ground four times with the tip of the Bankaied blade, then fired a wave of sold air at Aaroniero, freezing him completely in place.

"San no mai, Shirafune!"

'She's pissed! Rukia's NEVER used my third dance!'

She impaled the Espada, freezing him completely solid, then jumped back.

"GETSUGA TENSHO!"

The red-white wave of energy destroyed the Arrancar completely.

"**DON'T FUCK WITH THE QUEEN'S FAMILY**!"

'Remind me never to piss of Akayuki.'

'_You? Piss her off? That's impossible. She knows all your midget crap is just playful teasing. Besides, she's dating your Inner Hollow_.'

Ichigo blinked.

'How-'

Zangetsu spoke up.

'_If Shirayuki and I can enter your mind and Rukia's, what rule says that your Inner Hollows cannot_?' '_**Yeah, King**_!'

'I wasn't _objecting;_ I was _surprised._ There's a difference.'

Both zanpakutōs chuckled.

'You were teasing me! I can't believe you!'

'_Ichigo, you should be used to it by now_.'

Ichigo closed his eyes.

'Oh, I expected it from YOU, but not Zangetsu!'

'_Despite appearances to the contrary, I DO have a sense of humor. I just don't like showing it_.'

'**That**, I can believe.'

Akayuki gave Rukia control of her body again, and Rukia rushed to her sister's side.

Unlike the Shibas, Hisana now wore shinigami robes.

'What is it with Rukia giving people her shinigami powers?'

The elder Kuchiki looked at her younger sister and started sobbing into her chest.

Ichigo smiled at the sight.

At least Rukia had her sister back.

"Where the hell is Orihime being kept?"

He didn't even need to ask, as he saw about 20 different Arrancar fighting a girl with a sword and shield.

"What the hell did Aizen do to her to piss her off that much?"

From the look of things, the guys fighting her weren't at the same level as Aaroniero was: they were much lower.

Two words came to Ichigo's mind: cannon fodder.

"Rukia, watch after Hisana, Kaien and his wife. I just found Orihime."

Rukia just nodded at her boyfriend.

He used shunpo to get closer to the fight, and barely dodged one of Orihime's attacks in time.

"What the hell, Captain?!"

"You never call me that, Orihime."

The Arrancar wisely got the hell out of there.

Unfortunately, they ran into Uryū, Chad and Tatsuki.

All of whom were ready to start killing them.

"Start saying your prayers, Arrancar."

With Nemo and the twins

The three spirits and their Arrancar guides had ran into less trouble then Uryū and the others.

The three worked together as a team far better then most shinigami, and had taken out the lower ranking Arrancar with zero difficulty.

"Wow! You just kicked their asses with no trouble at all!"

Homura looked at the child-like Arrancar.

"It's what we do. Otou-sama taught us well."

"Otou-sama?"

Nemo answered for the twins.

"Ichigo adopted them."

He then proceeded to tell them the tale of what happened.

When he was finished, Nel looked at Nemo.

"You think Ichigo'll adopt me, too?"

Nemo had a quick laugh at that.

"He tried protecting you when he first met you. His intentions were honorable. In fact, people make the mistake of calling his 'strawberry' when his name truly means 'First Guardian'. Make that mistake, now, though and I doubt he'll forgive you."

Nemo was a wise person, knowing things most shinigami would never know about Hollows and more about shinigami then any Hollow would like to care about.

"Well, I wasn't expecting someone like you to show up here."

He knew that voice.

"Szayelaporro Granz."

He had run into the Espada before when Aizen was building his army.

He removed the mask that covered the left side of his face, unleashing his Hollow powers.

The pink haired Espada looked at the hybrid.

"Ah, the nameless one! I was wondering what happened to you!"

He unleashed his Bankai, then glared at the pink-haired Espada.

"Tell me, do you have a name now, or am I going to have to rip it from you?"

He snarled.

"Nemo."

"That's a poor name! Seriously, the Latin word for no-one?"

He fired a kiro shot at him, and forced the pink-haired bastard to dodge.

"Son of a bitch! You've improved!"

"The last time we met was 40 years ago, you pink-haired freak."

He looked at Homura.

"No offense: you pull it off better then he does."

"None taken."

Both twins released their zanpakutōs, transforming them into scythes.

"Well, this is new."

"Do it."

Both teleported behind Granz.

"What the hell?!"

He dodged their attack, but only realized that they could BOTH do it when the girl disappeared and impaled him with her scythe.

Until then, he only thought that one of them could do it and was teleporting the other one with him or her.

"Shit!"

Nemo chuckled.

"As I've learned over the past month I've known those two..."

He powered up a cero that made Granz pale.

It was a Gran Ray Cero, the most powerful version of a cero.

"**Don't fuck with anyone with the name Kurosaki**!"

He pointed the sword at Granz and fired.

With Ichigo and Company

"Let me get this straight. You two fought an Espada that had the souls of two shinigami and the soul of Rukia's big sister."

Uryū looked at Rukia.

"You used your Resurrección to get them out of his body before you Danced and Getsuga Tenshoed his ass to death."

Rukia nodded.

"That is insane!"

Ichigo pointed at the still-unconscious trio that were ripped from the 9th Espada.

"I realize that, Kurosaki! That does not make it any less insane!"

Uryū felt a warm feeling on his back, then saw red and felt his outfit (he refused to wear a shinigami uniform) fall off.

Some jackass fired a Gran Ray Cero.

That jackass proved to be Nemo, who looked sheepish.

"Whoops."

"WHOOPS?!"

Both Kurosaki twins kicked him in the head.

"You nearly killed us!"

"You can both teleport! I knew you would be fine!"

Ichigo tossed his black jacket to Uryū.

"Cover your shame, man."

Uryū did just that.

He generated another jacket, seeing as it was made of reishi and Hueco Mundo was full of the stuff.

The party led by Nemo used the twins' teleportation ability to regroup with Ichigo.

"What the hell did I tell you about using that attack?"

"Don't unless I was facing someone extremely deadly? I followed your orders."

"What happened?"

"We ran into an Espada: the 8th one, Szayelaporro Granz. He was basically Mayuri's Arrancar counterpart."

"Was?"

"The only way to kill him was to blast him with a GRC and pray to God that he didn't implant you with an embryo."

Chad looked at Nemo.

"GRC?"

Ichigo looked at him.

"Shorthand for Gran Ray Cero, which he just used."

"And which you can use as well, given enough training."

He looked at Orihime.

"What in Hell's name happened to her? She looks more like Zaraki."

"I got really, REALLY angry."

"Angry enough to unleash your Inner Zaraki, no doubt."

The spirit put the mask back on his face, sealing his Hollow powers off.

Like Zaraki's eyepatch, it served as something to keep the powers in check.

This was why he wasn't classified as a Vizard or an Arrancar: both put their masks on or regenerated their original forms.

He did the polar opposite.

As for the twins, they were almost in the same boat, but they didn't need to don or take off a mask: they had full access at all times.

"So, mission accomplished. We can go home."

"Like hell you will!"

Sosuke Aizen appeared and charged at the group, clearly pissed off.

Tatsuki got in his way and paid for it as she was launched into one of the few intact buildings.

Ichigo parried Aizen's attack with Tensa Zangetsu.

"You've lost your touch, Aizen. What, is it because Momo STILL has Kyōka Suigetsu?"

Steam flew from Aizen's ears.

"Touched a nerve, asshole?"

He began attacking Ichigo with unrestrained fury, almost like Zaraki or Orihime.

Everyone simply watched.

Nemo and Uryū started making bets on who would win.

"Year's pay on Kurosaki."

"That's a sucker's bet. We BOTH know he's going to win."

Uryū looked at him.

"Alright. We can bet on how long it take him to win."

"5 minutes or under, year's pay."

"6 and over."

Aizen and Ichigo looked at the pair.

"You're making BETS on this?!"

"Damn straight!"

Aizen decided to make the bet null and void and save his ass at the same time.

He ran away.

Screaming.

"ICHIMARU! TOSEN! HELP!"

Uryū and Nemo growled.

"Nobody fucks with my bets! NOBODY!"

The other members of the 14th Division facepalmed.

Then the rest of the Espada and a LOT of other Arrancar arrived, led by the two traitor captains.

"Great, they brought their Fracción with them."

All the beings in the dome looked at Nemo.

"What?"

"You know these guys?"

"Think of it like this: the Espada are Captains. These guys are Lieutenants, seated and unseated officers."

The 14th Division performed Bankai or their equivalent.

"60 on 9 seems an uneven fight, Captain."

"Well, Lieutenant, maybe we should leave. Then it might be an even fight."

Tosen looked annoyed.

"Boasting will get you nowhere, Kurosaki."

Uryū scoffed.

"As much as I hate to say it, they weren't boasting."

"Wow, Ishida. Those two must scare the shit out of you if you admitted that."

"I may be prideful, but I'm not stupid."

Meanwhile

The Gotai 14 had been planning on sending a team to Hueco Mundo, but Ichigo (who was granted more independence due to his Division's duties then any other Captain) beat them to it.

While Yamamoto was not pleased, he wasn't angry, either: Ichigo was going after his subordinate, after all.

The team (made of 5 captains, their Lieutenants, Momo, the third and fifth seats of the 11th and 4th Seat Sarugaki) had just arrived when they nearly got killed by Nemo's Gran Ray Cero.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

For the leaders of the 10th, memories of getting shot at with a photon torpedo came to mind.

After that, they saw Aizen running for his life.

"What the hell spooked him?"

Two red-white and red-black waves of energy went after him.

"Stupid question."

Zaraki and Hiyori were united in their amusement.

"Run, you bastard!"

They turned their eyes to Las Noches.

Byakuya shook his head as he noted the giant hole.

"Kurosaki has no tact."

"Forget tact. If he broke in that way, that means he was trying to avoid a shitload of traps. I would do it."

They all looked at Hitsugaya.

His Inner Hollow had a VERY foul mouth and it was rubbing off on him.

"Let's get moving."

Momo growled. "What about Aizen?!"

"He was running away at very high speed. It was a wonder we saw him at all."

"Fear of Kurosaki makes him faster."

He was moving faster then an X-15A-2, and those fucking things went to Mach 6.5.

They made their way to Aizen's fortress, and discovered that there was a massive Battle Royale happening inside the dome with the artificial sky.

Three beings stayed out of the fight, and all of them wore shinigami uniforms.

One of them turned to face the newly arrived team.

"Oh, hello, Captain Kuchiki."

Momo gaped.

It was Kaien Shiba.

"You're dead."

"Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated. Besides, thank Rukia: she saved our asses."

Byakuya noticed the Rukia clone.

'That's not Rukia.'

She looked at him.

Her face was slightly different. Byakuya Kuchiki was staring into the eyes of his wife, Hisana.

His DEAD wife.

He knew Hinamori still had Aizen's sword, so she was not an illusion.

"Hello, Byakuya."

He did something no one had ever seen him do: he fell back and fainted.

How's THAT for _Bleach_ at its' finest?

This chapter was made to show A) how much of a pain in the ass Ichigo has become to Aizen and B) to show that most of Aizen's power gain was from that damned Hōgyoku. As for the Hōgyoku itself...

(Author holds up said object and puts in in a box)

I'm holding onto it: I trust Urahara and Mayuri as far as I can trust Gendo Ikari with a gun.

In short: I don't.

Also, comedy is an integral part of _Bleach_: it's like a tank and its' huge-ass gun. You can't have one without the other.

Besides, I've had my silliness quotient for today.

The Espada are going to get their asses whooped. Well, most of the Espada, as some are defecting due to Ichigo making Aizen piss his pants and run away. He's never living that down.

We'll see the start of the massive battle in the next chapter.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: The Espada and Fracción versus the seated officers and leaders of the 14th Division and the back up team!

Ja Ne!


	21. Chapter 20: Ballroom Blitz

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 20: Ballroom Blitz/Return of Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck/Bankai: Montu-Ra!/Ichigo versus Ulquiorra/Vasto Lorde Resurrección

Recap: The mission to rescue Orihime has been a success, but with a twist: three souls have been freed from the 9th Espada. They are Kaien Shiba, his wife Miyako and Rukia's sister, Hisana, who has given shinigami powers. With 2 Espada down, Aizen decided to take matters into his own hands, but was forced to retreat when Ichigo's power proved too much for him to take. (In short, he ran like a little bitch) In return, the Espada, Aizen's private army, Tosen and Ichimaru prepare to engage the 14th Division in combat, not knowing that the 14th is about to be reinforced.

(Note: This started before the back-up guys got there)

The 14th Division team was outnumbered 6 to one, but numbers don't mean shit in the end.

Skill and firepower did.

And while they were the shortest-lived division in the Gotai, the 14th Division proved that they were simply more powerful then the rest, mostly because of their captain, Ichigo Kurosaki and his ability to make his comrades improve themselves.

Nemo and the twins were proof of this: their powers had doubled during their time under his command.

They also proved diversity had its' advantages: Uryū, a Quincy, could easily fight at range while Chad, a human with some Hollow abilities, covered his ass.

Most of the 14th were made up of shinigami, but some of them were also Vizards, or shinigami with Hollow powers: Ichigo and Rukia Kuchiki were the perfect examples of this.

Others were Substitute Shinigami: Orihime Inoue and Tatsuki Awisawa being exemplars.

Others were different beings with both powers, but were not Vizards or Arrancar: Homura and Shizuku Kurosaki and the former shinigami named Nemo were these.

Ichigo smirked.

"Rukia, I think it's time for a ballroom blitz."

Orihime smirked.

Tosen was not amused.

"Kill them quickly."

The Espada charged toward their targets, not knowing it was futile.

Tosen tried engaging Kurosaki, but his blade made contact with Tatsuki's.

"I don't think so, asshole! You, Ichimaru and Orihime got unfinished business!"

At that, Orihime charged at the former 3rd Division captain and threw him at Tosen.

Tatsuki dodged an attack from Ulquiorra, who was attacked in turn by Ichigo and Rukia.

Ulquiorra backed off, but was soon under attack again by Uryū and Chad.

The twins fought against a horde of Fracción while Nemu held off their Espada masters with a combination of ceros and kido attacks.

Rukia used her Resurrección, turning into the more controlled version of Dark Rukia and taking out Zommari Rureaux, the 7th Espada.

Speed wouldn't save him this time, as Tensa Zangetsu's speed enhancement and the twin's teleporting abilities made Rukia a lot faster then him.

She teleported and hacked him down while Ichigo engaged Tier Harribel, the 3rd Espada.

She was stronger then most of the Arrancar there, as two of them were missing: those being the second and Primara Espadas.

They were otherwise engaged, as he now noticed that Yamamoto had finally sent a team to back him up.

Grimmjow attacked Ichigo, who parried with Shirayuki.

"What the hell?! You got two of those things?!"

"Why the hell is everyone surprised to see me have two zanpakutōs?"

"Because it ain't possible to have more then one!"

He forced Shirayuki down, then kicked Harribel away.

He then performed Some no mai, Tsukishiro, freezing Grimmjow's arm.

"The fuck?!"

"Getsuga Tensho!"

The attack, although nonlethal, sent the poor bastard flying.

He wasn't in the mood for this.

With Orihime recovered and Aizen running for the hills, (literally _and_ figuratively) he just wanted to get the hell out of there.

He hated Hueco Mundo almost as much as Nemo did, and Nemo had been there for 60 years!

The twins teleported away from the carnage, bringing their teacher/partner/pain in the ass with them.

"That's 16 dead, 9 wounded."

"And all of them were regular ol' Arrancar.."

The former shinigami stood up.

"At least they're not sicking the cloning bastard or the former Espada on us."

Homura looked at him.

"You know way too much about the Arrancar and Espada."

He chuckled.

"With those assholes trying to make me join them, you learn what you can."

Meanwhile

Coyote Starrk just wanted to get out of there.

Kurosaki proved that he was a strong son of a bitch; why bother keeping him there?

Revenge was pointless: he and his comrades killed two Espada before Aizen got Tosen and Ichimaru to mobilize the rest of the Espada. And if Aizen was sent off running like a little bitch, then that was all the excuse he needed.

Then he ran into the Gotai 14's back up team.

'New plan: fall back through Las Noches.'

He got his ass moving, avoiding the battle royale for the most part, but using it as a cover.

It seemed he had someone far better to follow then Aizen.

Ichigo held his own against at least 3 high ranking Espada, who combined were more powerful then he was.

That was enough for him to say 'screw it'.

Hell, he spared Grimmjow's life, even while hitting him with a powerful attack.

Mercy was a sign of strength and Coyote liked that about Kurosaki.

It was then that he noticed a familiar face: it was the former 3rd Espada, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, although how the hell she got turned into a little girl was beyond him.

Of course, that didn't matter, as he noted the fight getting wider spread.

Most of the Fracción went after the twins and the freak of nature that called himself Nemo.

They did NOT like them for kicking their asses.

Kurosaki got kicked in the head, and Nnoitra took advantage of this, beginning to kick his ass, breaking one of his arms.

The child-like former Espada lost it, and her reiatsu spiked.

Nelliel was back in her original adult form, zanpakutō and all.

And while she was not easy to anger, when she DID get pissed off, you did not want to fuck with her.

Nnoitra was about to learn that again.

"YOU! I thought I killed you!"

Nelliel cracked her neck.

"You thought wrong. And that's two mistakes you will regret."

Nnoitra attacked Nelliel, who was supported by Nemo and the twins.

Four on one, and all 4 were close to Captain-Level if not at Captain-Level.

The 14th was known for this issue.

With the back up team

"I'm getting into that fight!"

Zaraki wanting to fight was no surprise.

Problem was, an Arrancar was helping Ichigo, and while Nel was still an Arrancar, Hitsugaya wouldn't tolerate friendly fire.

"If they're helping Kurosaki, don't attack them."

The Kenpachi of the 11th looked at the Captain of the 10th.

"If I influenced that Inoue girl, then she influenced me, too. I ain't attacking my allies."

Then the blue-haired Grimmjow landed nearby.

"Goddamn it! That asshole's got one hell of a shot!"

He looked at the shinigami.

"Uh-oh."

Grimmjow was the Espada version of Zaraki, but he was not stupid.

And he was outnumbered and wounded.

"You wouldn't kill an unarmed man, would you?"

Byakuya took out his blade, but Momo stopped him.

"We need intel, and a living Arrancar can give us that intel, sir."

Byakuya sighed.

"Bind him. And you will watch over him, Lieutenant."

Momo wordlessly used Bakudo 1 and bound Grimmjow.

"Hey, what gives?!"

"Stay bound and live or be freed and die. Your choice."

Grimmjow scowled, but shut up.

He was a battle-happy Arrancar; that did not mean he was completely stupid.

Extremely, not completely.

Then they saw Tosen get launched into the dome by Orihime.

From the look of Tosen's zanpakutō, he had used his Bankai, but it didn't work on Orihime.

Then again, Kyōka Suigetsu worked in a similar way, and Orihime was immune to that blade's effects. Then they spotted Gin preparing to fire his Shikai at an unknowing Orihime.

"FLASH CRY!"

Gin didn't notice Tatsuki coming at him until it was almost too late.

Rangiku scowled.

"Gin is my problem."

"Matsumoto-"

She glared at Toshiro.

"Alright, he's yours."

She shunpo'ed toward the fight between the Substitutes and the traitors.

Then they noticed Ichigo get launched into the top of the dome and far outside it.

"Son of a bitch. Abarai, help him!"

Renji shunpo'ed toward the hole, but was swatted aside by one of Harribel's Fracción.

His scream of pain would amuse and terrify everyone for years to come, as she kicked him in the balls.

It seemed numbers DID count for something, after all.

"Screw this."

With Ichigo

Getting launched about one and a half kilometers into the top of a dome that was 50 meters thick by the fourth strongest Espada was NOT on Ichigo's List of Things to Do Before I Die.

Finding a good girl, marrying her, having a kid and raising it better then he was raised WAS on that list, though, and he was not letting some Arrancar fuck that up!

"You seem weaker then before, Kurosaki. I wonder why Aizen-sama ran from you if you are this weak."

"Never."

He started pushing Ulquiorra back with Tensa Zangetsu.

"Compare me."

Ulquiorra was regretting saying what he said.

"TO AIZEN!"

A Getsuga Tensho pushed him back, but Ulquiorra wasn't killed so easily.

"Enclose, Murciélago."

Ulquiorra unleashed his Resurrección, then started beating the shit out of Ichigo, who was weakened fighting most of the Espada in such a short time.

"Ichigo!"

Ulquiorra turned to face Rukia, who quickly entered her Resurrección.

'It appears this is why Aizen-sama fears Kurosaki: his potential has no limit, and those he deems his allies will also have no limits.'

How that was, he had no clue, but it wasn't his place to ask.

That _was_ Granz' job, and he was dead now.

He then noticed Tosen retreating from the remains of the fortress.

That meant that Las Noches was starting to look more like a liability then a bonus. That didn't matter. All he needed to do was kill Ichigo.

He batted (pun unintended) Rukia away, then got into the air.

"You should be honored. Aizen-sama has never seen this before, as I never needed to use it. Resurrección: Segunda Etapa."

The 4th Espada entered his second Resurrección, removing the coat and making him more bat-like. "Goodbye, Kurosaki."

Then a black blur hit him.

Tatsuki, fresh from her fight with Tosen, attacked the 4th Espada.

Her Flash Cry broke multiple bones and nearly took off his arm, but that didn't kill him.

"Impressive. You have half the power Kurosaki has."

"That's not all. I know Bankai now, and I think since you threatened my friend, you get to be the first one I use it on!"

She gripped the blade.

"Bankai: Montu-Ra!"

She flashed white, and was wearing a new uniform much like Orihime's when she used Bankai.

Like most Ichigo-influenced Bankai, it was a Condensed-Type, but it was unique in creating a second blade that looked just like the first.

"I am not impressed by your Bankai, girl."

She disappeared for a moment, then hacked off his right arm.

'Intriguing. Polar opposite of the other girl's Bankai.'

Then he discovered the truth of the matter.

Tatsuki was the attacker: she attacked without fear.

Orihime was a defender: nothing got past her shield and khepesh sword.

'Sword and shield: a very Western way of fighting, but an effective one.'

Both attacked, but Ulquiorra batted them aside.

"Die, Kurosaki. CeroOscuras."

The black beam erupted from Ulquiorra's finger, hitting Ichigo, who was too weak to move.

It blew through his chest, destroying his heart and lungs.

Ichigo, for lack of a better term, was dead.

But, as _Bleach_ fans know, killing Ichigo was impossible.

The only one that COULD kill Ichigo would be Ichigo himself.

In this case, though, his Hollow had objections.

It took over his body, forcing him to use Resurrección. (AN: Even with the changes I've made, Vasto Lorde Ichigo still looks the same)

The Espada, retreating from the fortress, stopped to watch what was happening.

"What the hell is that?!"

Harribel would have scowled if her mask didn't cover her lower face.

"That shinigami is a Vasto Lorde now. The longer we stay here, the more likely he will target us: for sport, if nothing else."

The remaining Arrancar nodded at their superior, as the 1st was missing and the 2nd had fallen in combat with the Quincy, the human, the Kurosaki twins and the not-shinigami.

"Regroup with Aizen-sama. Go!"

They used sonido to escape.

The shinigami, on the other hand, watched the whole thing.

"Nemo, you're our expert on Hollows! What the hell's happening to Ichigo?!"

He sighed.

"His Hollow is using Resurrección alone. When an Inner Hollow does it alone, they take full control. If Ichigo and his Hollow did it together, then we would not have a problem. Problem is, they aren't."

Momo looked at the not-shinigami.

"What do you mean by that?"

"In the land of Scandinavia, there were warriors with unstoppable fury: never stopping, even after losing enough blood to normally kill them. They were called Berserkers. Ichigo is berserking. Can you even detect his reiatsu?"

Toshiro looked at him.

"Barely."

"He is beyond the level of a Vasto Lorde. Only Captain-General Yamamoto can fight Ichigo in combat and hope to survive now."

"What about Rukia?"

He scoffed.

"Even while berserking, he has what humans refer to as an Identification: Friend or Foe system. Fight by his side, or not at all, and he will not attack you. Fight against him..."

The Vasto Lorde Ichigo ripped off Ulquiorra's leg.

"Well, that's self-explanatory."

The horned Vizard opened fire using his horns, forcing Ulquiorra to dodge.

"Even so, he will never attack her. He loves her, and even if they didn't, their link would kill them both if he killed her."

Grimmjow, still tied up, watched the fight.

'Holy fuck. Screw Aizen: this guy is the King of Hueco Mundo!'

"Hey, shorty."

Hitsugaya looked at the Arrancar. While he didn't like being called that, he shoved that aside.

"What?"

"Any room for me in your Gotai 13?"

"It's 14. And-"

Nemo looked at Hitsugaya.

"Technically, the twins and I are closer to Arrancar then we are to shinigami. Besides, it you wish to join us..."

He smirked.

"Wait for Captain Kurosaki to finish with your friend."

Back with the fighting pair, Ulquiorra began feeling weak.

He couldn't keep up with Ichigo, who was still at full power.

Then the mask broke, and Ichigo returned to normal, although he had much longer hair.

Ulquiorra blinked as Orihime shunpo'ed to his position.

"Hold still."

She started using Santen Kōshun to heal him.

"Why?"

"You seem like a nice guy, and Ichigo would've wanted me to heal you."

Rukia got to Ichigo, paying no mind to what he just did. Tatsuki sighed.

"Well, that was fun."

The three shinigami turned to face Gin Ichimaru, who was missing his uniform and had his hands tied behind his back and his captor, Rangiku.

She looked like she had been crying for a while.

"Just wanted to talk to ya."

Orihime looked at him.

"You wanted to fulfill your promise."

Tatsuki looked at her.

"What?"

"His zanpakutō resonated with mine when I first used my Bankai. He joined Aizen to get revenge on him."

Gin shrugged and finally stopped smiling.

Then he opened his eyes, showing that they were blue.

"I wanted to make sure Aizen paid."

"That excuses nothing."

They turned to face the back up team. Coming to Gin's defense was Orihime.

"Actually, it does. He didn't help Aizen as much as he could have and hasn't performed anything truly treasonous: if anything, he's been helping us."

Gin closed his eyes and started smirking again.

"Hey, if you don't want me back, just kill me."

Ichigo got up.

"Why do I feel like I was impaled?"

Rukia raised an eyebrow.

"You were. It's a long story."

He chuckled.

"I'll bet."

He pointed at Ulquiorra, who seemed to be shitting his pants in fear of Ichigo.

"Would someone tell me why Ichimaru's here and what the hell happened after he ceroed my ass?"

With Aizen

"Ichimaru is dead."

Aizen growled at the news.

"Coyote got the hell out of Las Noches, Baraggan is dead, Grimmjow has been captured, we don't even _know_ what happened to Ulquiorra and we're down at least 27 Arrancar! Tell me something I do not know!"

Tosen was taken aback.

Aizen had finally lost his temper.

"It doesn't matter. I still have my imperfect Hōgyoku. All I have to do is finish it."

"You don't even know where Urahara's is."

"That doesn't matter. I can make a copy of his and combine the two."

Aizen had finally started losing his mind.

Still, he was on the path and he would not leave it.

Soul Society: 1st Division Barracks

Yamamoto had the urge to use Zaraki as something to bash his head against.

Ichigo Kurosaki seemed to LOVE giving him headaches.

Five Arrancar stood in the chamber with the leaders of the 14th Division and the leaders of the back up team.

The two odd Arrancar were harmless (they wouldn't attack anyone unless they attacked the green-haired woman now wearing a shinigami uniform-as her older outfit was extremely provocative-which they confirmed) but the other three were Espada: the highest ranking Arrancar.

Still, Nelliel seemed to hate Aizen with a vengeance.

The other two...he had no clue, but whenever either one would look at Ichigo, they shuttered.

'Something happened, and I don't think I want to know what.'

"Why are they here?"

"I don't know. I was ready to let them go, but they insisted that they come along. I didn't ask why."

The blue haired one scoffed.

"It's the law of Hueco Mundo: The strongest rules, and you proved that you were!"

"Do I want to know?"

Rukia sighed.

"He used his Resurrección, sir. And as he nearly killed him-"

She hooked a thumb at the black-haired Espada.

"That should be enough to scare you."

"Why?"

The Espada answered.

"My name is Ulquiorra Cifer. I was the fourth Espada."

That explained everything.

"And Aizen?"

Kenpachi and Hiyori chuckled.

"Ran away like a little bitch. He even screamed like one."

Yamamoto filed that away under 'Things to Laugh At later'.

"Kurosaki, I will need you to run an errand to the world of the living in a few hours."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow.

"More headache pills?"

"Two boxes worth. You make them, so you have to solve them."

"I don't do it on purpose!"

Yamamoto nodded.

"And that is why I tolerate your actions: you work for a greater good. As for the Arrancar-"

Zaraki said it before Yamamoto could finish.

"Put them in the 14th Division. They can handle them."

Everyone looked at Zaraki.

"What? I ain't stupid! If Kurosaki can nearly kill batman over there, he can handle all five!"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at the nickname, but found that it suited him.

"Very well. Captain Kurosaki, I believe you should return to the world of the living for your regular patrol duties and for my...headache pills."

He then looked at the shinigami recovered from the 9th Espada.

"You two are extremely lucky that Kuchiki's Resurrección could separate souls from Hollows. After Captain Unohana examines you and confirms your identity, I will allow you to return to your duties in the 13th Division."

Then he looked at Hisana.

"I simply do not want to know."

Byakuya walked to her side.

"She is my wife, Captain-General. If any of you try to harm her, what Kurosaki did 6 months ago will _pale_ compared to what I will do."

Then he looked at Rukia.

"Correction: I don't believe the Soul Society will _survive_ if you try anything."

"After her examination by Captain Unohana, and the confirmation of her identity, she will return with you."

Byakuya's eyes clearly said 'wise choice'.

If they tried to kill her, then not only would they face the 6th Division, they were face the 14th. And the 14th Division was not to be screwed with, if their captain was any indication.

Rukia and Ichigo could overpower Yamamoto.

Rukia could in _theory._

Ichigo could in _actuality._

'Good thing he has no interest in politics, otherwise we would have a new Captain-General.'

Now, I have a choice to make: the anime or the manga.

The Anime path makes me take the Zanpakutō Rebellion into account, although it wouldn't work on Rukia or Ichigo. The Manga path makes me get to the heart of the matter and just get it over with.

I think I'll make an abridged path.

There hasn't been enough romance, and we haven't seen anything from Hitsugaya and Karin yet.

So I will mention the Zanpakutō Rebellion instead, and make a few romantic filler chapters.

Don't worry: you'll get to see the fights between most of the shinigami and the zanpakutōs (not IchiRuki, as the link and their Inner Hollows would keep their sword spirits together) along with the first two movies in a few side stories, as that's too much content to put in one story. The _To Hell and Back_ trilogy taught me that, as I wrote out 3 different stories at first for that.

One day I might post them all as one story. But not today.

As for who goes where, all stay in the 14th Division until a certain point. After that, see the list below.

Defecting Arrancar (and when they defect):

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck: 14th Division (Winter War: final phase)

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez: 11th Division (Winter War: final phase)

Ulquiorra Cifer: 4th Division (Winter War: final phase)

GgioVega: 14th Division Attache to Special Forces/2nd Division (Post-Winter War: two months after Ichigo gets his powers back)

Pesche Guatiche: 14th Division (Winter War: final phase)

Dondochakka Birstanne: 14th Division (Winter War: final phase)

Emilou Apacci: Harribel's attache to the Gotai 14; assigned to work with the 4th Division (Post-Winter War: 2 months after Ichigo gets his powers back)

Why put Ulquiorra in the 4th? You defend your fucking medics: they can save your ass!

We'll be seeing more Arrancar in the Gotai 14 later on, but a few will stay behind in Hueco Mundo.

And we're going to be seeing another new ability from Ichigo and Rukia.

At the moment, only Rukia can do it, and only using her Resurrección. (That's right: it's the fucking scythe)

Ichigo's...well, wait and see.

Also, I've been doing some thinking and reading stories on the site and came up with a story I call _Shattered Mirror_, based on the stories _Hero no More_ and _Tomoshibi_.

Read those two stories and you'll have some idea what it's about when I eventually publish it, which will be after I finish _White Sun Rising_ and before I get started on the sequel.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Karin Kurosaki is forced into the same situation as Ichigo was that day so long ago.

Ja Ne!


	22. Chapter 21: Karin Kurosaki, Substitute

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 21: Karin Kurosaki, Substitute Shinigami/Never Felt More Right

Recap: Aizen is rebuilding his forces after Ichigo's invasion of Hueco Mundo, and while that has been going on, an important event has happened: the zanpakutō spirit Muramasa attempted to free his master, but failed thanks to both Ichigo and Rukia's link, which kept Zangetsu and Sode no Shirayuki from being forced from them, and the spirit Nemo, who was, in effect, his own zanpakutō. This resulted in most of the Gotai 14 to begin unlocking their Bankai, mostly in the 14th and 11th Divisions. At the moment, though, there is a relative calm, and we join Ichigo, Rukia and 10th Division Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya in Karakura Town.

Toshiro blinked as he resisted laughing.

"_Ah, buckle this! Ludicrous Speed! GO_!"

That's right: they were watching _Spaceballs_.

Why?

Rukia mentioned that Ichigo had gone to Ludicrous Speed when he used sonido and shunpo at the same time to finally beat Yoruichi in a race.

When Toshiro asked what the hell she was talking about, she told him to join them the next time they went back to Karakura Town.

"_What have I done?! My brains are going into my feet!"_

He resisted until the scene when Dark Helmet was thrown forward.

THEN he laughed his ass off.

"That...that..."

Then Rukia's Soul Pager went off.

"Oh, fuck. YOU-"

She pointed at Hitsugaya.

"Stay here and finish watching the movie. Do anything but and I will let Ichigo kick your ass."

The leaders of the 14th Division quickly left, and Toshiro went back to watching _Spaceballs_.

He considered what Ichigo and Rukia were doing at the moment a date, as they always left together (even when Ichigo was considered overkill, he went with her) and simply watched the silliness of _Spaceballs_.

"Hey, Ichi-nii, you there?"

Toshiro's heart (or the spiritual equivalent, at least) stopped.

It was HER.

If there was a forbidden fruit, it was Karin Kurosaki.

When Toshiro told Matsumoto about her, she paled, quickly did her paperwork (another sign of the Apocalypse) and hid deep inside the 14th Division's massive fortress.

And she actually shut up about it rather then tell Ichigo that the 10th Division Captain was in love with his sister.

Not a crush: actual love.

She'd seen that look a lot in other people: it was always the same.

She looked at him.

"Oh, you."

Toshiro's eyes turned into hearts at seeing her again.

She had long accepted that Toshiro had feelings for her (She thought he was cute) and just waited for Ichigo to come around to being more comfortable with her seeing people.

She wasn't dating, but Toshiro was her type: a less protective version of Ichigo, as Ichigo would do anything in his power to protect her, but wouldn't let her protect herself.

Toshiro would let her do just that, but step in when he needed to.

"_Spaceballs_? Haven't watched that in a LONG while."

"Kuchiki-"

"Rukia watched it a month ago. Pissed herself laughing at Ludicrous Speed."

Toshiro snickered.

"So did I."

He wondered if he should bring a copy with him back to the Soul Society.

Hisana, Rukia's sister and now a shinigami in training, shared her sense of humor, but was a MUCH better artist.

The Shibas... he didn't want to think about them.

Kaien was still getting used to life under Ukitake again and Miyako scared the two now-Fourth Seats of her Division as they remembered the incident that took her from them VERY well. Hitsugaya sighed.

"Ichigo shouldn't be having this much trouble with a Hollow." Then he sensed a Hollow. An extremely strong one.

'How in God's name did a Menos Grande get this close without getting detected?'

He left his gigai and got outside before getting batted by a humanoid form.

It was an Adjuchas, a Lieutenant-Level Menos, but the system wasn't universal: Adjuchas could overpower captains.

"Oh, a Captain! This should be fun before I eat you!"

Toshiro drew Hyōrinmaru.

"Reign over the Frosted Heavens, Hyōrinmaru!"

The Hollow dodged the attack and managed to gore him, but Toshiro had the last laugh.

"DIE!" The ice dragon went through the Hollow's mask, killing it.

Unfortunately, it was not alone.

A normal Hollow approached, clearly intending to devour Toshiro, who was too weak to move. "Toshiro!"

Karin ran out, then noticed the blood.

"Fuck me, he got you good."

Toshiro sighed.

Ichigo was going to _kill_ him later, Yamamoto be damned.

"I'm sorry."

Karin then noticed pain in her chest before she saw herself leaving her body.

Ichigo told her about how he gained Rukia's powers.

'He just turned me into a Substitute Shinigami!'

Then she noticed the sword on her back.

My brother, like sister, clearly. But unlike Ichigo, Karin's new sword looked nothing like Toshiro's.

Hyōrinmaru was a Japanese katana in his sealed state.

Karin's was a European longsword: a Germanic one, if she wasn't mistaken.

She drew the blade.

"Come and get me, motherfucker!"

'Why does she have such a foul mouth?'

'_**Her mom died, she got cold and pissy. That, and her brother**_.'

Toshiro had to agree with his Inner Hollow.

He had to admit, though...she was a natural. Like brother, like sister.

She killed the hollow with ease, just like that day Rukia first entered Ichigo's life.

Of course, life has a horrible sense of timing, as Ichigo came back at that moment.

Soul Society: 1st Division Barracks

Ichigo used shunpo to hand Yamamoto extra strength painkillers.

"For the record, I am NOT responsible for this."

"Duly noted, Captain Kurosaki."

Both Yamamoto and Ichigo were not pleased.

Toshiro was avoiding imprisonment because of the circumstances and the fact he was badly wounded and was in the 4th Division medical center.

"For the fourth time in 7 months, a human has been driven shinigami powers. And we have a problem." Most of the captains looked at Yamamoto.

"Why? The 14th Division handles humans with spiritual powers, including Substitute Shinigami." "It is because it is Kurosaki's younger sister."

They all looked at Ichigo.

"Favoritism. I would go soft on her."

That made two people perk up: Suì-Fēng and Kenpachi Zaraki.

Suì-Fēng because if Karin's zanpakutō was anything like Ichigo's, she would be a speed demon. Kenpachi...we all know his reason.

"No."

"What?!"

"Neither of you are getting her. If the twins haven't taught Suì-Fēng her lesson that 'Speed doesn't mean stealth', then she needs a repeat lesson. Zaraki, while she's a shinigami now, she's still my sister. You know what I would do to you if you hurt her." "Bring it on! Your Hollow buddy's been teaching me how to use my Resurrección thing!"

That was a compromise he hated.

Nemo was a better teacher about Hollow powers then Rukia, himself and Hinamori combined, so he had to teach the ones who had unlocked their Inner Hollows how to use their abilities.

Part of the 14th Division's barracks were designed for just that.

When Zaraki started getting taught, Ichigo feared for the safety of his Division.

Thankfully, Orihime's influence had toned down his urge to fight a little.

"As for who gets her, I think the best place would be the 1st Division."

Yamamoto looked at Ichigo, who returned the look.

"She doesn't even know the name of her zanpakutō yet and you're the best teacher I know, old man." Yamamoto was reminded again of Ichigo's desire to protect: this time, from himself.

"Very well. Until further notice, the girl-"

"Her name is Karin Kurosaki."

"Is under my command as an unseated member of the 1st Division. Dismissed!"

Zaraki used sonido to leave the room.

"He's going for Karin!"

With Karin

The girl stood in a waiting area when she felt a presence.

Two, in fact.

She was much better at detecting reiatsu then her brother.

She dodged an attack from a man wearing bells and an eyepatch.

'That's got to be Kenpachi Zaraki.'

"Just like your brother: a natural!"

She had to draw her nameless sword. 'I will not be nameless for long, young girl.'

She widened her eyes, but Zaraki attacked again.

"Why the hell are you trying to kill me?!"

"I ain't trying to kill ya! I'm tryin' ta find out if you got what it takes to be in my Division!"

"I am NOT joining your Division!"

She dodged another strike, then kicked him in the face.

Dealing with her idiot of a father helped.

"Enough!"

Zaraki and Karin turned to face both Ichigo and Yamamoto.

The former had Zangetsu out and in Shikai.

"Kenpachi, she is not joining your Division! She's joining Yamamoto's, end of story!"

"Like hell!"

Yamamoto looked at Ichigo.

"She is your sister."

"You're her captain now."

"Kurosaki, he is yours to deal with."

"Even better!"

He rushed at Ichigo, who drew Shirayuki and wordlessly Bankaied both blades before parrying Zaraki's attack.

'_Ichigo, I believe it's time to use that trick we learned_.'

The trick was a fusion of the two zanpakutōs into one, if only for a while.

The spirits didn't fuse: just their blades.

Rukia did it using her Resurrección a few weeks back in Hueco Mundo and Ichigo wanted to give it a try.

He had only just learned to do it, as well.

'_Remember, there's two forms: one for Zangetsu_-' 'And one for you. I can assume the scythe is yours?' '_Not exactly: only Rukia's Resurrección uses the scythe. At least you'll be able to use the teleporting ability now_.'

He jumped back.

"Yūgō Shita Bankai: Tensa Zangetsu!"

The two blades made contact, and Ichigo was now holding what looked to be a near copy of his Shikai. The difference was that the blade was straighter and it actually had a guard.

"That's new!"

Ichigo used the teleportation ability to disappear and kick Zaraki in the head, followed by a quick cut to his left arm.

Zaraki was launched into a nearby wall.

He then took off the eyepatch.

"That's more like it!"

Yamamoto shunpo'ed Karin out of there, as Zaraki's unleashed force could kill her.

Ichigo sighed.

Over the past 8 months, Zaraki had been a royal pain in the ass.

"Fuck."

4th Division medical center

Ulquiorra Cifer sighed as he made his rounds with Homura.

As he was technically on probation, someone from the 14th had to be with him at all times.

Homura had picked the short straw this time: Ulquiorra was not the best person to be around, as he seemed to be constantly depressed.

Only the five highest ranking officers (Her parents, Yoruichi and the Vizard Fourth Seats) hadn't spent much time with him, as they were in meetings or were dealing with the other four Arrancar.

Orihime and Grimmjow were NEVER to be paired together ever again.

The 11th Division ended up in the barracks for over a week that time.

"Will you just TALK?!"

"There is nothing to say."

"Why are you so depressed?! I mean, I know the Seireitei and Soul Society in general are polar opposites from Hueco Mundo, but seriously!"

"It is my aspect of death."

She looked at him.

"Huh?"

"Despair and depression. It is how I died before becoming a Hollow."

"Oh. Do we need a psychiatrist?"

He looked at her and prepared to retort when the Captain-General shunpo'ed in.

"Kurosaki."

He looked at Ulquiorra.

"Cifer."

Both bowed.

"Captain-General."

"Please escort the young girl to Captain Hitsugaya's recovery room. I will be watching the spar between your father and Captain Zaraki."

Homura facepalmed.

"Not again..."

He shunpo'ed out.

"Your father?"

Homura smiled.

"That's right. I'm Homura Kurosaki, daughter of Captain Ichigo Kurosaki. Well, adopted daughter, really, but..."

She scratched the back of her head.

"Oh, this is Ulquiorra Cifer. I'm his escort for today."

The girl looked at her.

"Escort?"

"A member of the 14th Division must be with me at all times."

"He's on parole."

She nodded.

"Karin Kurosaki. I guess that makes me your aunt."

Homura smiled.

"That's great! Are you joining the 14th division?"

"Nah, I'm being put in the 1st."

"I can see why. The 1st Division is the normal starting place for all shinigami."

Homura looked at Ulquiorra.

"Not for me and Shizuku!"

"That is because you fall under the 14th division's purview. You and your brother are not shinigami, thus you were put in the 14th Division."

"Beginning to wish I wasn't..."

The escorted her to Toshiro's room.

"Looks like he's still out of it."

Homura pushed her aunt into the room.

"Have fun, Aunty Karin!"

"Why, you-" Homura closed the door.

"You do realize Captain Unohana is not going to be happy with you."

Homura shrugged.

"Yep!"

Back with Zaraki and Ichigo

"Never attack my sister again." Zaraki was in a crater about 50 feet deep.

'_That last Getsuga Tensho was a nice touch_.'

'Thank you, Shirayuki.'

He separated and sealed both zanpakutōs, then sheathed them.

Yamamoto showed up only a few seconds later.

"That was rather quick of you."

"I have better things to do then fight Zaraki. I know I've got a back-load on my paperwork-"

"We both know you're faster then any captain when it comes to that. You simply want to spend time with your girlfriend."

"HOW DID YOU KNOW!"

The old man simply smiled.

"I know that look, Kurosaki. Have fun."

With Toshiro

Stuck in his mind, Toshiro had two other people for company: Hyōrinmaru and his Inner Hollow.

"Ok. I know we fucked up there, but we're still alive!"

Hyōrinmaru and Toshiro looked at the Hollow.

"Shut up."

"You guys know I'm right! Then there's the Queen!"

"If I remember correctly, that would be the nickname that Shiro gave Rukia and Akayuki."

"OUR Queen, you idiots! Karin! Come on, Toshiro, I KNOW you like her!"

"Her brother will kill us."

"He doesn't want her in his Division, Ice Man! You have a chance!"

"A snowball's in Hell."

"Hell ain't that bad, and you know it!" (AN: Whoops. That reference to Hell Verse was unintended. That's next)

Toshiro glared at his Hollow.

"Shut up, please."

With Ichigo

"Why the hell did I agree to this?"

Suì-Fēng wanted compensation for not getting his sister, and in this case, he was forced to buy a copy of The Guinness Book of World Records.

After giving her a book from his personal library, (an older copy of the above book) she wanted another one.

A more up-to-date one.

"What am I, the Gotai 14's living world errand boy?!"

Rukia walked beside him as he carried bags to his home.

"Think of it like this: you have more excuses to stay here then to stay in the Soul Society, and since I'm your Lieutenant..."

She grabbed his arm.

"We can spend more time together."

"Well, I'm not complaining about that, but I have to get this shit at the Seireitei by tomorrow afternoon. And I'm going to need to talk to Nemo."

"Why?"

"I don't remember a thing about my Resurrección. All I know is I whooped Ulquiorra's ass with it."

Rukia DIDN'T want to talk about Ichigo's Berserker Resurrección, as Nemo coined it.

'If you think the Berserker was deadly, that wasn't even a tenth of what his Resurrección can do!' were his words on the subject.

"I don't think you should know. That scared the shit out of me, and I was using my Resurrección."

Ichigo ruffled her hair a little before kissing her on the cheek.

"It'll be OK, Ruki."

She blushed and snuggled into his arm.

"I love you, too."

Ah, IchiRuki: my favorite _Bleach_ pairing.

It's also one of the few that can work even with different pairings.

And we got to have Zaraki Time, too!

...You can tell I like Zaraki.

As much as I hate to say it, _Hell Verse_ (or _Chapter;_ I don't give a flying shit) is next, as I don't think I can do long-winded semi-romantic filler chapters. I also can't so budding romance so well. Still, I love...love. The emotion, not the character, you idiots!

Besides, after that, it's time to deal with Aizen once and for all.

And that's ending with a twist.

Also, I've been comparing some of _Bleach's_ OSTs to _Evangelion 1.0-3.33's_: either the same composer made the tracks for both or I'm starting to lose my mind.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: Hell literally breaks loose when four Sinners attempt to kidnap Ichigo's sisters, forcing him to march into Hell to rescue them.

Ja Ne!


	23. Chapter 22: Hell Breaks Loose

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 22: Hell Breaks Loose

Recap: Karin Kurosaki has gained the powers of a shinigami, and has joined the 1st Division, although she keeps up appearances in the world of the living. The Gotai 14 continues to prepare for the war with Aizen, but now they face a new threat, one from the depths of Hell itself.

"And this is supposed to be, what, exactly?"

Ichigo looked at Nemo, who was holding what looked to be a handgun: a military issue M9, to be exact.

"It's a gun. What, you never came to the world of the living? Better question is, where the hell did you get it?"

"Came here in the 1930s, I think. Never saw anything like this. As to where I got it..."

He pointed at a trio of unconscious JGSDF NCOs.

"They were wondering why I was wearing the mask and I took offense."

Ichigo facepalmed.

In the three weeks since his sister gained shinigami powers, a good percentage of his division (and a few others) had been staying in Karakura.

This included Nemo, who seemed to be far more trouble then he was worth.

First, his gigai had one problem: it still had his characteristic stark white features on the left side of his face, so he needed a mask.

Second, he was curious as all hell about the ways of the world of the living.

This was clear when he had to go to Israel to deal with a Hollow that had been a royal pain to the shinigami assigned there.

During his tenure there, he stole an Israeli Merkava Mk III MTB and somehow got it into the Soul Society.

Urahara claimed not to have any idea how he did it.

Ichigo was sure of that: the Ass Whooping was still VERY clear in Getaboshi's mind. Either way, the tank came in handy during the Zanpakutō Rebellion.

Of course, someone had to stay with the man at all times to make sure he didn't do that again.

"Why exactly are you people here again?"

Nemo's face hardened.

"An old friend of yours popped up from your pre-invasion days. I think he was called Shrieker."

Ichigo remembered THAT Hollow all too well.

That was the first time he saw the Gates of Hell, and the first time Chad and Karin were put in danger. "I thought no one escaped from Hell. Rukia told me that herself."

"The Kushanāda do one hell of a job, (pardon the pun, sir) but they are not infallible. Sinners, or more properly, Togabito, can escape Hell for a short time. I would know."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow as the pair got closer to Karakura High.

"Ran into one in Hueco Mundo, did we?"

"Many times. A shinigami with the powers of a Hollow can damage the chains that bind them. And that was ME. I think they're after you, Captain."

"Don't call me that. Not here."

"Very well, sir."

They approached the school, where Uryū and Chad were waiting with both Orihime and Tatsuki, the former orange-haired girl's now-dark hair catching more then a few stares.

"Knew this would backfire."

She still couldn't get her hair back to normal after the shit in Hueco Mundo.

Suddenly, the scaffolding around the building (placed there after more then a few Hollow attacks damaged it during the Zanpakutō Rebellion) started falling apart.

Nemo expertly dodged the falling metal bars, saving a few people in the process.

A few bars hit the not-shinigami over the head, knocking him on top of Chizuru Honsho.

"Ow."

"Get off me, you bastard!"

'_Stupid lesbian doesn't realize that he's unconscious_.'

Ichigo's eyes widened.

'Sode no Shirayuki?'

'_I thought I told you to just use Shirayuki_?'

'I was surprised, OK? If YOU'RE here, that means-'

'_Yeah, Rukia's here with Renji. Last night was NOT fun_.'

'Oh?'

_'W__e ran into Shrieker again_.'

Ichigo started worrying about Rukia and whether or not she was hurt.

'_Relax, Ichigo. He was a pushover with both me and Zangetsu in her hands_.'

'Getsuga Tensho?'

'_Getsuga Tensho_.'

He sighed.

"Today's going to fucking suck, isn't it?"

Nemo could've answered, if Chizuru wasn't trying to kill him.

7 hours later

The some of the members of the 14th Division's command staff that were in the world of the living stood in the schoolyard, waiting for Uryū to check what caused the damage.

"Well, Ishida?" "It's not Hollow, Arrancar or shinigami." Nemo, out of his gigai, snarled. "Togabito. I know that stench." "Togabito?" "Hello!" An obese man wearing a black cloak and a mask landed nearby, with a massive man wearing similar clothes landing beside him. "Someone's been eating their Wheaties." "And someone's been eating too many doughnuts!" It took the fat Togabito a minute to understand the insult. "You little bastards!" He spat something at them. "Scatter!" Ichigo drew Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu, skipping the Shikai and going straight into Bankai. "Oh, I've never heard of a shinigami having two zanpakutō before." Ichigo used Tensa Zangetsu to block another Togabito, who had a massive glave, from hitting him. 'Same outfit.' 'Ichigo, I have an idea.' Ichigo used Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki's blade to stop the huge weapon from hitting him. 'I'm all ears, Shirayuki!' 'You can use kido thanks to Nemo. Hado 1 should destroy his mask.' Ichigo nodded, dodging the bastard's attack and pointing the tip of the blade at him. "Hado 1: Sho!" The simplest hado wouldn't've done anything in most cases. Ichigo Kurosaki was not most cases, as the man's mask was destroyed and the robe badly torn. "Oh, crap! RUN!" The other two ran off while the oh so familiar Gates of Hell appeared, and the arm of a Kushanāda came out, crushing the unfortunate Togabito and dragging his ass back to Hell. Nemo chuckled nervously. "No matter how many times I see those fucking things, they still scare the piss out of me." Tatsuki and Orihime asked the question that was on everyone's mind. "What the fuck were those?!" "Ask Ichigo. He knows." He took off the mask, unleashing his full power. "I'm heading to the clinic. There's two more, and I think they're going after his sisters. Hey, where'd the Captain go?"

Kurosaki Clinic

Rukia hacked off two more tentacles before launching another Getsuga at the Togabito. "Fucking bitch!" He looked at another Togabito. "Shuren-sama, she's too strong!"

"It's quite alright, Gunjō . All we need is one sister anyways."

Rukia noticed that Gunjō had Yuzu and Karin, but what neither realized was a pissed off Toshiro Hitsugaya was after him.

"LET GO OF HER, YOU BASTARD!"

And he was Hollowfied, no less.

"Oh, shit."

Both Togabito barely dodged Toshiro's extremely icy cero, making him drop Karin. Big mistake. She left her body, entering her shinigami form.

"Kick them into the Fire, Chìliè Yuèliàng Lóng!" (AN: Translated from Chinese as 'Blazing Moon Dragon': considering where she got her powers from and her family's zanpakutōs, I think it's fitting) Karin launched at the two idiots, her massive blade (AN: Zangetsu's new Shikai, but with the original handle and a red cloth rather then white and sized appropriately for Karin)

She fired a Getsuga at them, nearly incinerating Gunjō's robes.

"Fuck!"

He dropped Yuzu, but Shuren caught her and opened up a portal into Hell.

"Get back here, you fucker!"

Another man entered the fray, his sword hitting a blade made of flames.

"Drop the girl, NOW."

"Screw you, Kokuto!"

He escaped into Hell, followed by the other Togabito.

"Damn it."

A Bankaied blade was brought to his throat.

"Kokuto."

The man looked at Nemo, who had just arrived.

Ichigo was busy making sure his girlfriend/Lieutenant and sister were safe, so Nemo decided to secure the rouge Togabito.

"Ah, you. We meet again."

"Give me one good reason not to shove this blade into your head and let the Kushanāda chew on your bones."

Kokuto sighed.

"Still not happy about that time in Hueco Mundo?"

"You nearly made me go insane, and it didn't help that YOU dragged me into Hell for a week."

The heads of the 14th Division, Toshiro and Karin walked over to the not-shinigami's position.

"You know this guy, Nemo?"

"He's a Togabito who dragged my ass into Hell for 6 days and 21 hours. If I didn't have a high amount of spiritual energy, I'd still be down there, and I'd be one of them."

Toshiro looked at him.

"What? You've been to Hell?"

"And I do not want to make a repeat visit."

30 minutes later

The Twins, Uryū, Tatsuki and Orihime arrived only a minute later, and Nemo explained what happened in Hueco Mundo.

"This jackass-"

He hooked a thumb at Kokuto, who was heavily bound with both his own chains and multiple high-level bakudo spells.

"Broke out of Hell and got to Hueco Mundo around 50 years ago. As you all know, I was sent to Hueco Mundo 60 years ago. When the Kushanāda finally caught him, they grabbed ME, too. Thankfully, I escaped before getting devoured."

He smiled.

"He didn't. And during my brief tenure in Hell, I discovered two things."

"What?"

"Those with Hollow powers lose control REALLY fast down there and the Kushanāda have a kind of IFF system. They can tell what belongs down there and what doesn't."

Ichigo scowled.

"Your point?"

"Even IF Yuzu dies down there, the Kushanāda will simply send her back to the world of the living restored to life. She's sinless and alive; thus, she does not belong down there. Still, I'd rather get her out of there quickly."

Rukia looked at the only shinigami to make it out of Hell.

"Why?"

He removed his mask.

"Take a hint, ma'am. Even humans have Inner Hollows."

Rukia and Ichigo realized what the not-shinigami was saying: her Inner Hollow will awaken if she's down there too long.

"Good news, with all the reiatsu she's been exposed to, her spiritual energy levels are akin to a seated officer's. She will survive down there long enough to organize a rescue team."

Everyone stood up, clearly volunteering for what amounted to be a suicide mission.

"Nemo, you know the lay of the land-"

"I'm not going. Hell will make me lose what little sanity I have left. Remember, sir, that I'm 60% Hollow. I'll rally the troops in the Seireitei. I think Captain Zaraki would kill for a chance to literally dive into Hell."

"And you'd be right!"

They froze and faced everyone's favorite Zaraki, who had Yachiru on his back and his two lackeys beside him.

Said lackeys were Ikkaku and Yumichika.

Behind them was Rangiku Matsumoto.

"We're going with you. Matsumoto's already told the Kido Corps to get ready for Hell breaking loose."

Hell

"She's perfectly fine! It's crazy! I thought her reiatsu was lower then a cat's!"

Shuren sighed. "Her brother, fatass, has enough energy to destroy Hell if completely unleashed. It's more then likely he influenced her own reiatsu levels." Taikon snarled, but saw Shuren's point. "Fuck." "I know. I know."

With the Gotai shinigami

After being freed by Nemo, (and being given a warning that if the Togabito tried ANYTHING, he would pray that he never escaped from Hell) Kokuto opened a portal into Hell. The Kenpachi of the 11th summed up the group's general thought.

"What the fuck is with this place?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Hell."

Karin looked at the place and said something under her breath.

"'"Expect that by such stairs as these," thus spake The teacher, panting like a man forespent, "We must depart from evil so extreme."'"

Ichigo looked at his sister.

"You've been reading my copy of _Dante's Divine Comedy_, haven't you?"

"Good book."

"Let's go! We've got a long way to go!"

The team jumped onto the walkways, running into a Kushanāda. Kenpachi attacked the living embodiment of Hell's Will, using his huge reiatsu to create what seemed to be a golden Getsuga Tensho.

'_**I pity that thing, King**_.'

And Nemo was proven right once more, as Ichigo's Inner Hollow finally spoke up.

'_**Are you going to be giving me any problems down here, Shiro?' 'Hell no! I may have the urge to kill everything in sight at times, but I got someone to keep my mind off that**_!'

Shiro was referring to Akayuki, Rukia's Inner Hollow, and clearly one of the reasons Ichigo had better control then the Vizards, and they buried their Inner Hollows decades ago while his was awake and active.

Even Hollows were not heartless, as Shiro put it during the Zanpakutō Rebellion.

"There's another one!"

Ichigo Bankaied and got ready to fire a Getsuga Tensho at the new Kushanāda.

"Getsuga-"

The mask formed on his face before Ichigo fired it off.

"**TENSHO**!"

The Kushanāda was overwhelmed and destroyed, scaring the shit out of the team.

"Holy shit, Kurosaki! Warn us next time you Hollowfy!"

"I...wasn't in control."

'SHIRO!'

'_**I didn't do it! If I did, I didn't do it on purpose**_!'

Rukia sighed.

"We should prepare for all of us using our Hollow powers down here."

They all looked at Ichigo, who had the most powerful of all Inner Hollows.

"I don't care if his Hollow comes out! I'll beat him back down!"

Karin looked at the giant idiot.

"Captain Zaraki, we should get moving. My sister's down here somewhere, and we're wasting time standing here when we should be moving our asses!"

They didn't notice Ichigo and Rukia jump into the abyss until Matsumoto noticed that they disappeared.

"Come on! I ain't letting them have all the fun!"

Zaraki, in his typical style, ran after them, jumping deeper into Hell.

"'My guide already seated on the haunch Of the fierce animal I found; and thus He me encourag'd. "Be thou stout; be bold. Down such a steep flight must we now descend! Mount thou before: for that no power the tail May have to harm thee, I will be i' th' midst."'"

Karin followed the insane captain after quoting Canto 17 of The Inferno.

Soul Society: 1st Division Barracks

"They're in HELL?!" Nemo nodded. "Literally. Five Togabito attacked Karakura Town and kidnapped Yuzu Kurosaki. Captain Kurosaki and a group of volunteers went in after her. I believe we should prepare for Aizen's counterattack, sir, and get the Fake Karakura Town set up. It will also protect it from Hell's miasma." He shook his head.

"Something I know all too well, unfortunately."

"True."

Hell

Descending from the first level, Ichigo and Rukia arrived in the second level within a few seconds.

'_**King, I don't feel so good. Like I'm going crazy**_.'

'This must be what Nemo-san meant. No wonder he couldn't come down here with us!'

"About time you came down here, Kurosaki!"

Both looked up to see the 9th Espada, Aaroniero Arruruerie, still using Kaien's form.

Clearly, Hell let him use powers he had lost.

'I thought we were done with him!'

'_**Just means we get to kill him again, Queen**_!'

"Aaroniero, remember that you are still under my command."

Ichigo looked to see a pink-haired man with what looked like glasses.

"And you are?"

He smirked.

"I am the Octava Espada, Szayelaporro Granz."

He snorted.

"Well, I WAS, until that half-Hollow bastard used a Gran Ray Cero to kill me. He didn't even need to draw blood to use it!"

"Spare your theatrical bullshit, Granz! We have two shinigami to kill!"

Ichigo and Rukia watched the two Espada argue back and forth, with their Inner Hollows laughing at them.

"Are you two done?"

The Togabito from before dropped in, landing in the space between the Arrancar and shinigami, removing their cloaks once they hit the giant plant.

Only the man with the pyrokinesis, Shuren, was missing.

"My God, you're all ugly as fuck."

Then he looked at Aaroniero.

"Not you; you're just wearing someone else's face, and that's worse!"

Aaroniero roared in anger.

"Rage through the sea and the heavens, Nejibana!"

Unlike before, the fake zanpakutō released without any problems, transforming into a trident.

"Sip, Fornicarás!"

Rukia and Ichigo looked disgusted.

Who wouldn't be?

After all, his zanpakutō's name in Spanish basically meant 'Fornication'. (AN: That's the Japanese version. Seriously, look at the Bleach wiki or watch the subbed episodes)

"FOUND YOU!"

They looked up to see Zaraki charging toward the Togabito at full speed, complete with his reiatsu creating a golden skull.

"Oh, shit."

Uryū, Karin, Orihime and Tatsuki arrived next.

"Get down to the lower levels and get Yuzu! Leave this assholes to us!"

Zaraki engaged the massive Garogai, hoping to get some fun out of his fight.

Toshiro arrived and grabbed Karin.

"What the hell are you-"

"Your brother would kill me if I left you here. Let them handle the Togabito."

He jumped down, Karin yelling about 'not helping out' all the way down.

Kokuto jumped in after them.

After all, he was their guide.

With Ichigo and Rukia

'_**Queen, if you Hollowfy, it ain't my doing**_!'

Rukia followed Ichigo through the water, which quickly turned into clouds as they made it into the third level of Hell.

'Nemo already told us that our Hollow powers would be more of a pain to control down here. Still, from what the Vizards told us, shouldn't you be a little more crazy?'

'_**One word: Shiro**_.'

'Ah.'

Toshiro, Karin still struggling in his grip, caught up with the pair.

"How's your Hollow?"

"Talking up a storm and giving me a headache the size of the Seireitei. He's usually quiet."

Kokuto caught up as they left the clouds, but a Kushanāda phased through the sulfur-filled deathtrap and made a play for the only Togabito on the team.

"Oh, fuck."

It grabbed Kokuto and prepared to eat him. Ichigo unwillingly Hollowfied and fired off a Getsuga, destroying the Kushanāda, freeing the Sinner.

He hit the ground, bones audibly crushing.

"Argh. Pain. Ha ha ha ha ha ha."

The four shinigami landed beside the Togabito.

"Relax. I'll be fine. We're in Hell, remember? If I die, I'll just be revived."

"What about the others?"

Toshiro scoffed.

"They'll be fine."

You know, I really hate my life right now.

I almost had Chapter 22 finished when my brother fucked up my computer.

I also had the next chapter of _Babylon's Guardian_ ready to undergo editing and I was getting started on another chapter of _Sword in the Stone_.

I've also lost a special linebreak (only shows up in OpenOffice, but it helps me break up the paragraphs) had I've had for 2 years.

Thus, I AM PISSED.

It took me FIVE FUCKING DAYS to rewrite this, and all of it is new material.

After this arc ends, Aizen invades and we get to see Ichigo perform that very HATED technique: the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho. Of course, in this, the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho has VERY different consequences for Ichigo, as the link he has with Rukia will keep Zangetsu and Shiro from completely merging with Ichigo.

In order to get my writing back in shape, I have decided to get another story up and running. But first, I'm setting up a _Bleach_ Codex on the site, which explains the powers used in each of my _Bleach_ stories: from zanpakutō releases to kido to Fullbring to Quincies to Hollow powers.

Also, thanks to Kubo making it canon, I get to unleash Ichigo's Quincy abilities. (Rubs hands together and gives a very evil Zaraki-style laugh)

It'll keep me busy, at the very least.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: The Togabito get their asses handed to them while Ichigo and company run into Shuren, unleashing the one thing that actually scares the shit out of the Author.

Ja Ne!


	24. Chapter 23: NOT A GOOD IDEA!

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 23: An Angry Ichigo is NOT A GOOD IDEA!/Kushanāda Shinigami

Recap: Yuzu Kurosaki has been kidnapped by Togabito, the denizens of Hell. Ichigo Kurosaki, along with Orihime Inoue, Tatsuki Arisawa, his sister Karin, Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya, Lieutenants Renji Abarai and Rangiku Matsumoto, Captain Kenpachi Zaraki, Ikkaku Madarame and Yumichika Ayasegawa, have entered Hell to rescue her, but have run into two problems: the Hollow powers of those who have their Inner Hollows awoken are out of control and two of the dead Espada are there, trying to get free.

"'In silence and in solitude we went, One first, the other following his steps, As minor friars journeying on their road. The present fray had turn'd my thoughts to muse Upon old Aesop's fable, where he told What fate unto the mouse and frog befell. For language hath not sounds more like in sense, Than are these chances, if the origin And end of each be heedfully compar'd. And as one thought bursts from another forth, So afterward from that another sprang, Which added doubly to my former fear. For thus I reason'd: "These through us have been So foil'd, with loss and mock'ry so complete, As needs must sting them sore. If anger then Be to their evil will conjoin'd, more fell They shall pursue us, than the savage hound Snatches the leveret, panting 'twixt his jaws."'"

Ichigo sighed.

"Canto 23, Inferno. And why does it fit?"

The path looked like it was taken right out of the pages of the Divine Comedy, with shrines and tiny fires lighting their path to the fourth level of Hell.

Rukia chuckled.

"Maybe Dante actually came here in the 14th Century."

"Maybe he did, but right now, we've got bigger things to worry about!"

The five-man team picked up the pace, entering the fourth level of Hell.

"I can feel Yuzu down here. Let's go!"

Ichigo didn't know it, but his eyes were turning black, meaning he was losing control.

With Zaraki

To say Kenpachi Zaraki was having fun would be an understatement.

His foe, the massive Togabito Garogai, had beaten the living shit out of him, and he was LOVING it.

Both he and his Hollow were at their peak, and once the eyepatch was removed, Garogai was fucked.

He cleaved the massive monster in half, cackling all the while. (AN: Hollow Kenpachi. Fear it)

"THAT WAS FUCKING AWESOME!"

With Ikkaku and Yumichika

"That was new."

Yumichika didn't have a choice but to use his true shikai to kill the tentacle-using Gunjō.

"I am a coward, aren't I?"

"Damn right you are! You should've told us you had that!"

The beauty-obsessed shinigami looked at his friend.

"You know Captain Zaraki's rule: if you can fight, you're in the 11th! He doesn't give a shit WHAT kind of zanpakutō you've got!"

"But it's an unspoken rule in the 11th to only have a melee-type zanpakutō!"

Ikkaku snorted.

"Two words: Renji Abarai. His is only a partial melee-type. You know, I think yours counts as one, too. And there's no rule about that!"

With Orihime and Tatsuki

Aaroniero twitched on the ground.

"Sorry, Espada, but a shikai can't beat a bankai."

Orihime pointed her zanpakutō at his head.

"Konton no Hi."

The massive blade launched a fiery bolt into his face, incinerating him from the inside out.

"That scares the piss out of me."

"How do you think _I_ feel?"

With Renji and Matsumoto

Matsumoto destroyed the 8th Espada with her Hollow-enhanced shikai, shredding him apart.

"Fuck. I nearly lost control."

Renji was having a hard time keeping himself from Hollowfying, and Matsumoto still had parts of her mask on.

"You alright, Renji?"

"Barely. We need to catch up with Ichigo."

Fourth level of Hell

Karin, upon entering the fourth level, quoted the Inferno once more. "'I was all fix'd to listen, when my guide Admonish'd: "Now beware: a little more. And I do quarrel with thee." I perceiv'd How angrily he spake, and towards him turn'd With shame so poignant, as remember'd yet Confounds me. As a man that dreams of harm Befall'n him, dreaming wishes it a dream, And that which is, desires as if it were not, Such then was I, who wanting power to speak Wish'd to excuse myself, and all the while Excus'd me, though unweeting that I did.'"

Ichigo sighed.

"Canto 30. And once more..."

The desert and the Stonehenge-like structure in the distance beckoned.

"It fits."

'_**Dante was DEFINITELY down here, King. Had to**_.'

"There's a lot of reiatsu down here."

"Course there is."

They looked at Kokuto, who pointed at the ground.

"That's not sand you're standing on. That shit's the crushed bones of the Togabito who finally gave up and just died."

Karin snarled.

"My sister better be alright, or they'll be praying that this is the worst that happens to them!"

She ran ahead of them, Toshiro easily catching up, with Ichigo, Rukia and Kokuto taking up the rear. In the center of the Stonehenge-like structure was a dead Kushanāda, and hanging from the skull was a cage.

In the cage?

"YUZU!"

"Hello, Kurosaki."

They looked up to see Shuren, who had ditched the mask.

"I am Shuren. And YOU will do something for me." Ichigo glared at the Togabito.

"Like hell I will."

Shuren smirked.

"Unless you want your sister to stay down here-"

"Hell can tell what belongs and what doesn't, you idiot!"

His smirk disappeared.

'Fuck. I forgot about that.'

He had heard of the not-shinigami, Nemo, who escaped Hell.

That man inspired Shuren to escape, but the gates were shut.

"I guess I have to force you to free us."

He used his pyrokinesis and saw a bolt at Yuzu.

Kokuto charged past them, taking the hit.

"Stop getting in my way, Kokuto!"

Kokuto, though wounded, charged at Shuren, who generated a flaming sword to fight him.

"He reminds me of the Captain-General."

"Let's get Yuzu the fuck out of here."

Karin got to the cage, but something jumped out of the lava below the cage.

The thing was an angry and reborn Szayelaporro Granz.

"She's not going anywhere!"

Karin dropped the blade, then looked at him with a look that could glass planets.

"Getsuga. Tensho."

The blade turned bright red, and launched the signature Kurosaki family attack.

Hers, though, had the added effect of being a twisted combination of Ryūjin Jakka and Zangetsu.

In short?

Her Getsuga could cause forest fires.

And lava had NOTHING on her Getsuga.

"Uh-oh."

The Mad Arrancar (AN: His Aspect of Death is Madness. I guess Leonidas was channeling him when he kicked that guy into the Pit) was launched into the lava once more. Honestly, it was colder in the lava.

The cage opened, and Karin caught her sister before she fell.

"I've got you."

"You have nothing!"

The other four Togabito were back, along with Aaroniero, and guess who had to fight them?

With Ichigo

Shuren was a pain in the ass, and the fact that the 9th Espada was after his sisters wasn't helping. 'Fuck this.'

_**'King, don't**_-'

Ichigo put on the mask, making his power skyrocket. Problem was, his link fucked with Rukia's control for Akayuki's powers, and the fatass knocked her out with seconds due to her power being let loose. Froze him over, but she was out of the fight. Toshiro wasn't faring too well, either: unlike Ichigo and Rukia, he had to maintain an iron grip on his Hollow.

"Bankai: Daiguren Hyōrinmaru!"

In hindsight, THAT was a mistake.

His draconian mask formed, and one swing of his blade turned the entire area into a snow-covered desert, freezing the remaining Togabito in their places.

'I need to get this thing off my face!'

Toshiro went for it, but was impaled by a sword.

Kokuto's sword.

"You fucking bastard."

"What can I say? I want out. And Ichigo is the only one who can free me."

"Toshiro!"

Ichigo, carrying Rukia over his shoulder and fresh from his fight with Shuren and Getsugaing his ass, watched as a man he considered a brother was impaled by Kokuto.

"Angry yet?"

"What the hell are you doing?!"

Kokuto chuckled as he removed the sword from Toshiro's gut.

"I saw your fight with that Espada. The 4th one, I mean. These idiots thought that if you destroyed the Gates, we'd be free. Doesn't work that way." The mask was forming over Ichigo's face. "You need to break the chains. So Hollowfy completely and free me!"

"Ichi-nii!"

Kokuto looked at the two sisters.

"Don't you DARE."

He dared, attacking the two, but before the sword even touched them, Ichigo was there, in all his horned Hollow glory, a Cero charging between the horns.

"No one. Touches. My family!"

Kokuto wasn't dealing with Ichigo.

He was dealing with a pissed off, out of control Shiro.

Pity him.

He's fucked.

"Well, shit." Kokuto barely dodged the cero, but it did destroy a few chains.

"Come on, you can do better then THAT!" Karin grabbed Ichigo's leg and tried to stop him.

"Ichi-nii, stop it! You're just doing what he wants!"

He fired again, destroying Kokuto's left arm and every chain attached to it.

"Holy shit. Pissing you off was a bad idea." (AN: You think?)

Ikkaku and Yumichika arrived seconds later.

"Well, that's not good."

"I know."

Yumichika began muttering under his breath.

"What are you doing?"

"A kido spell. Captain Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Abarai and I were taught this by the Captain-General in case THIS happened. You don't know kido; I do. Comes with having a zanpakutō like mine: you don't have a choice."

"Ah."

Ichigo fired Cero after cero: sometimes they hit Kokuto, other times they weren't even pointed at him. "Ikkaku, please cut off that horn. Those ceroes will kill us both. Not to mention ruin my beautiful hair."

Ikkaku ducked under another cero.

"Good idea!"

He jumped at Ichigo, hacking off the left horn just as Yumichika completed the spell.

It connected with Ichigo just as the mask fell apart.

"NO!"

Both 11th Division men gave Kokuto the finger.

"Fuck you, you asshole!"

Karakura Town

"I hate it when I'm right."

A cero (clearly Ichigo's) had blown the Gates of Hell apart.

Yamamoto stared at it, eyes wide open. "Holy shit."

Nemo nodded.

"I know, sir. One shot. And that wasn't a Gran Ray Cero, either. That was a normal one."

Suddenly, Ichigo, Rukia and his two sisters appeared on a nearby rooftop.

"Fuck me."

Both men, plus Byakuya and Suì-Fēng, arrived seconds later.

"He used Resurrección, didn't he?"

"His Hollow did, that's for sure, ma'am. Hell screws with Hollow powers. Kind of why me and the twins didn't go down there."

"You used Bankin on them."

"I never finished it: stopped at Second Song."

Ichigo groaned.

"Ow."

Nemo knelled beside his commander.

"I know how you feel, sir."

Ichigo looked around, noticing his sisters were holding onto him.

"Relax. They're fine."

"Kurosaki."

Ichigo looked at Yamamoto.

"Oh, crap."

"I will say this and this alone. You scare the Bejesus out of me. Recover from your wounds. You are going back there to rescue the others."

Rukia woke up on Ichigo's back.

"What happened?"

"Captain Resurreccióned and blew open the Gates of Hell. Someone used that teleportation kido on the Captain, and you three got caught in it."

Ichigo fainted. Y

amamoto sighed.

"Get Captain Unohana. I want him on his feet."

Nemo looked at the Captain-General.

"Permission to join them, sir. I owe that Togabito bastard for screwing with the 14th Division."

"Granted, on the condition that you do not lose your mind down there."

"Mask's staying on, sir."

12 hours later

Kokuto sat in the lowest level of Hell, waiting for Ichigo to return.

He had defeated the others with ease (although Zaraki, Tatsuki and Orihime were a pain in the ass) and tied them up with Hell's chains.

None of them were even close to dying, though, and Nemo was right about Hell having an IFF system of sorts: the shinigami did not belong down there, so the Kushanāda would send them back without incident.

Hell wasn't THAT cruel.

'Only a few more chains to go.'

"GRAN RAY CERO!"

Kokuto barely dodged a pure red attack that destroyed the caldera he was sitting near.

"Fuck me."

Nemo landed on the ground below.

"I warned you that if you fucked up, I'd kill you."

He glanced at the shinigami hanging from the chains.

"This counts as fucking up."

Kokuto drew his sword.

"Where's Ichigo?"

"He came in after me with Lieutenant Kuchiki."

Nemo wordlessly Bankaied.

"I'll deal with you for now."

"With what? You can't kill me!"

"With _this._ Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy. Boil forth and deny. Grow numb and flicker. Disrupt sleep. Crawling queen of iron. Eternally self-destructing doll of mud. Unite. Repulse. Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness."

He pointed the blade at Kokuto.

"Hado 90: Kurohitsugi!"

The sky appeared to darken as multiple boxes of black energy appeared, each of them topped off with a cross-shaped spear, before they multiplied and enclosed on Kokuto.

"Let's see you survive THAT."

Kokuto screamed in pain before the Black Coffin disappeared, his body covered in grievous wounds.

"What the hell was that?!"

"The 90th, and in my opinion, deadliest, hado spell. At full power, it mimics a black hole's gravity and time distortion powers. Still, using that, coupled with a Gran Ray Cero, was draining."

Seconds after using it, Ichigo and Rukia arrived, both in Bankai. "Nemo!"

The not-shinigami chuckled.

"He wasn't a problem. Let's get them-"

Kokuto's threw his sword into the man's throat.

It didn't kill him (high-speed regeneration was a royal bitch) but he wasn't going anywhere.

"I told you, freak..."

Kokuto stood up.

"You can't kill me! And now you'll be joining me down here for all time!"

"Not happening."

A Getsuga made contact with Kokuto's face, knocking him down.

It was the last straw.

They may not have known him long, but Nemo was still their friend, despite their rocky start.

Ichigo was getting close to Hollowfying, but that was interrupted by the Kushanāda lumbering toward them.

Rukia, meanwhile, was busy trying to free the others.

"Ichigo, get out of there!"

Nemo had pulled the sword out of his throat and stared at the Kushanāda.

"Oh, shit."

One of them reached for Ichigo, but as soon as the hand made contact, it transformed into golden spiritual energy.

Nemo knew what was happening: Hell was granting Ichigo the powers of the Kushanāda.

In a sense, Hell was bowing to Ichigo's will to save his friends and stop Kokuto.

Tensa Zangetsu's chain grew slightly, showing that the power increase was permanent.

'Guess Hell really wants Aizen down here.'

Ichigo was also covered in golden armor, and as a consequence, so was Rukia.

Both cut the chains, freeing the shinigami.

Toshiro and Zaraki awoke first, wondering just what the hell happened.

"Whoa. What the hell happened to Ichigo?"

Both looked at the 14th Division Captain, who had what looked like golden armor under his Bankai overcoat.

He also had a skull-shaped mask over the right side of his face, connected to the rest of the armor by a spine-like extension.

Rukia also had the armor, to a lesser extent: only her lower arms were covered, but that was only what they could see.

It was likely that her entire torso was covered.

"What the hell?! Why?! Why would they do that?!"

"Kokuto, did your sister what you to avenge her?"

That was a surprise.

"How the hell did you know?!"

"I don't know how. I just do. I don't think she did, though. And it appears that Hell agrees with me, and would rather help an outsider then let you escape!"

He attacked Ichigo, but Rukia kicked the Togabito in the face, launching a icy, golden Getsuga Tensho into his face.

Ichigo followed suit, destroying his chains and most of the ground beneath their feet.

Kokuto recovered from the nonlethal attack, and his shackles broke off.

"I'm free. I'm finally free!"

A voice, rather like Ichigo's, interrupted him.

"**No, you are not**."

The voice was rather evil sounding, and Kokuto knew it for what it was, even if it sounded like Ichigo.

"Oh, shit."

It's was Hell's Will.

Chains erupted from the ground, entrapping Kokuto once more.

"NO! NO!"

Kokuto was wrapped head to toe in the chains of Hell, and dragged into the abyss.

"**Ichigo Kurosaki**."

Ichigo looked at the Kushanāda as they spoke with a warped version of his voice.

"**Rukia Kuchiki**."

Rukia jumped to Ichigo's side, looking at the massive constructs.

"**Our will is strong, but yours are stronger, alone or together**."

Toshiro blinked as they said that.

Hell's Will couldn't be broken, and they said Ichigo's and Rukia's were even stronger?

"**Give us the shinigami Sosuke Aizen when he is finally beaten. He will suffer for his crimes against your worlds for all time. In return, we grant you the powers of the Kushanāda**."

Most of the golden armor disappeared, leaving only a golden glove on both Ichigo and Rukia's left arms.

A twisted Senkaimon appeared before them.

"**Go**."

Kenpachi chuckled as he got up.

"I knew I'd have fun down here, but those chains were a pain in the ass."

He looked at the Kushanāda. "Next time you need help, call me! I'm always looking for a good fight!"

Ichigo looked at the insane captain of the 11th.

"We've got Aizen to worry about, Kenpachi. Let's go home."

Ichigo and Rukia walked through, followed by Tatsuki and Orihime.

Ikkaku and Yumichika followed suit, along with Nemo.

"Come on, Captain. I don't want the Captain-General getting angry at us for leaving you here."

Zaraki followed the not-shinigami through just as it closed.

Karakura Town

Yamamoto, Suì-Fēng and Yoruichi looked at the Hell version of the Senkaimon.

While it wasn't a portal like the ones the Togabito used, it was clearly not normal.

Out of it came the team that saved Yuzu from Hell.

"I take it the Hell situation is resolved, Captain Kurosaki?"

Ichigo shook his head.

"Not exactly. Hell wants Aizen."

Suì-Fēng scoffed.

"Saw that coming."

"There won't be any more escape attempts. If there are, Captain Zaraki's volunteered to deal with them."

Zaraki's grin turned from normal to shark-like at that.

'If there is any way Zaraki could get scarier, he just found it.'

"Captain, this isn't Karakura Town."

They looked at Yumichika.

"Everything's made of reishi."

"That is correct. We have placed Karakura Town in the Soul Society to protect it from Aizen and so we can use our full power without incident."

Nemo paled. "Please don't use Zanka no Tachi, sir."

"I am not THAT stupid, Nemo-san. If I unleashed Zanka no Tachi, I would destroy the world of the living."

Ichigo blinked.

"It's that powerful?"

"Your Tensa Zangetsu could be stronger then my Zanka no Tachi, Kurosaki. My Bankai is a semi-compression type: I wield a sword, but my power flows freely out-"

Ichigo finished for him.

"And since it's a fire type zanpakutō, you'll incinerate everything like a sun boiling away blocks of iron."

Yamamoto nodded.

Nemo looked at his captain.

"Sir, there is something I must teach you if you want to beat Aizen. It's likely he's empowered himself with the Hōgyoku, and this might be our only shot in killing him."

He also looked at Rukia.

"You will need to come with us, Lieutenant."

Rukia shook her head.

"Not until you tell us what you're doing!"

"Not here."

He opened a Senkaimon.

"We need to use the Dangai so I can teach you this quickly."

"You're not going alone."

All three turned to face a man they all knew: Isshin Kurosaki, wearing a shinigami uniform with a haori tied around his shoulder.

"Captain Shiba?!"

Rukia and Ichigo looked at Matsumoto and Toshiro, then at Isshin.

"Before you guys start yelling, yes, I was a Captain-theirs, actually-"

Isshin pointed at Toshiro and Matsumoto.

"And yes, my last name is actually Shiba. Kukaku, Ganju and Kaien are your cousins, Ichigo."

Ichigo's eye twitched. 'Dear God, I'm related to those manics?!'

Shirayuki and Rukia had similar thoughts while the Inner Hollows were terrified.

"I know what you're planning on teaching them, Nemo-san."

"Not them. Just your son, Captain Shiba. I'll need Rukia there because of their link."

Isshin turned to the gate, followed by Nemo.

"Come on, son. Might as well tell you everything while we're in the Dangai, right?"

All the information here comes from the latest chapters of the manga.

Yes, Isshin's last name is Shiba. I actually screamed at the idea that Ichigo was related to the two manics of the Shiba family.

Yes, he was the former captain of the 10th Division.

Yes, I'm fucking terrified of that Vasto Lorde that just popped out of nowhere and looks just like Ichigo's Hollow form. The implications of THAT are scary, to say the least.

(Dodges cero fired from Harribel)

OK, I get it! Christ, moving on, you pissy fucking shark.

As stated in my future Bleach Codex, there are four releases:

Sealed

Shikai

Bankai

Saigo no Getsuga Tensho (or equivalent)

Nemo is in a corrupted step between the two last ones, and Isshin clearly knows how to use the last one, so they will be teaching Ichigo how to use it. Rukia, on the other hand, is not going to.

Of course, that's what I'm going for, as I have to go into the Thousand Year War eventually.

But after Aizen gets his ass handed to him, _White Sun Rising_ is done.

Next Time on _White Sun Rising_: While Aizen and his Arrancar invade the Fake Karakura Town, Ichigo learns the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho, but with a different consequence.

Ja Ne.

(Grumbles about having 3 and a half years of work 'poured down the fucking drain' by his brother as another cero is shot at him) FUCK!


	25. Chapter 24: Karakura War

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 24: Karakura War

Recap: After rescuing Yuzu, Ichigo and Rukia were taken into the Dangai by both their 11th Seat and Ichigo's father in order to learn the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho. Unlike the canon timeline, however, there will be a different consequence to its' use.

Ichigo's mind reeled at the name of what Nemo and his father would be teaching him, and how Nemo would be helping them.

"I'm stuck between Saigo and Bankai. I'm the perfect choice to help. Bankai and use jinzen. Only a zanpakutō can teach the Saigo release. And do it for both."

Ichigo and Rukia did as their 'teacher' told them to do, going into Bankai for both swords.

"They're in for a pretty nasty shock, Nemo-san."

"Why does everyone call me that? Come on, let's stop the restrictive currant for them. We need at least a year for them to learn it."

"We don't have enough reiatsu for that."

Nemo removed his mask.

"We do now, Captain."

Nemo stabbed the wall with his Bankaied zanpakutō.

"I'll go first."

Rukia's Inner World

"Shirayuki! Where are you?!"

"Right here, Rukia."

She looked to see her zanpakutō, but with close-cropped hair and wearing a modified shihakushō.

"Sode no Shirayuki?"

"That is wrong, Rukia. That is your Shikai."

She produced her Bankaied blade.

"I am Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki."

"Oh, crap."

Ichigo's Inner World

Ichigo's encounter with Tensa Zangetsu was going equally as bad.

When he asked the Bankaied spirit to teach him the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho, he was rebuked.

When Ichigo kept it up, Tensa got angry and attacked him, knocking him on his ass.

"I will not teach you that technique, Ichigo!"

Ichigo got back up, launching a Getsuga at him.

Tensa simply deflected it.

"I taught you that, Ichigo. Did you think it would work?"

"I need the Saigo no Getsuga to stop Aizen! To protect Karakura Town!"

"What you want to protect is not what I want to protect, Ichigo."

Enraged, Ichigo attacked his zanpakutō again.

The Dangai

"Your turn."

Isshin took Nemo's place, and the not-shinigami took Tensa Zangetsu out of Ichigo's hands, replacing it with Rukia's copy and putting the original in the shorter shinigami's hands.

"That's not a good idea."

"It's the only way to preserve their link; otherwise both of them will learn the Saigo release, and it'll kill them both."

Isshin looked at the not-shinigami.

"How would you know that?"

"I'm a zanpakutō, remember, sir? I know everything there is to know about them."

Isshin nodded.

"Right."

Fake Karakura Town

Hiyori, Lisa and various other shinigami watched the Garganta from Hueco Mundo form, spitting out the surviving Espada and their two commanders.

Aizen, still clearly pissed from losing 7 of his Espada a month back, (Ulquiorra and Grimmjow defected while Zommari, Granz, Aaraneiro, Barrangan and Yammy were dead) looked at Orihime.

"You ruined _everything,_ you little bitch."

"Ruin this, Aizen! Karakura's not down here and you're never going to reach it!"

Aizen growled.

"Not true. Once I kill you, I'm free to do as I -"

"Reduce all creation to Ash, Ryūjin Jakka!"

Aizen found himself trapped in a cage of fire with Tosen.

Tosen summed up their situation in one word.

"Fuck."

Aizen snarled.

"Fuck."

Outside

65 Arrancar versus 20 shinigami.

Numbers didn't count for much, though, as they had mostly Captains and Lieutenants there, the rest being in the Soul Society, and most of the Arrancar were the Exquisas.

Tier Harribel looked at the four pillars that clearly did not belong.

"Those pillars are keeping Karakura in the Soul Society. Poww, Chuhlhourne, Redder, Calius, Vega, Parduoc!"

Choe Neng Poww, Charlotte Chuhlhourne, Abirama Redder, Findorr Calius, Ggio Vega, and Nirgge Parduoc, all of whom survived Ichigo's assault on Las Noches while their master, the Segunda Espada, Baraggan Louisenbairn, died at the hands of Rangiku Matsumoto, saluted their new commander.

"Yes, Harribel-sama!"

"Destroy the towers."

"Yes, ma'am!"

Poww used sonido to reach a tower, but as soon as he got close, he was vaporized by a Gran Ray Cero. "I know that attack."

Grimmjow, wearing a shihakushō, had just killed him.

"That traitorous bastard!" Chuhlhourne was also destroyed by a cero, but a black one this time.

"Son of a bitch. Ulquiorra, you fucking asshole!"

"Apacci, calm down!"

Parduoc was dodging ceroes shot from another former Espada: Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck.

"That's it!"

He fired back, but Nel just absorbed the cero and deflected it back at him, destroying him.

"And Baraggan tolerated them, why?"

Harribel sighed and drew her sword.

"There are twenty of them and 60 of us, and the Captain-General is busy keeping Aizen-sama trapped. Take them out."

Tatsuki and Orihime Bankaied, followed by just about everyone there.

Only a few (Suì-Fēng, Kyoraku and Ukitake being the only captains that didn't, and only because the latter two have never used their Bankai in canon) didn't.

"As soon as we're done with you, Tosen's next. I still haven't finished our fight from Las Noches."

Loly and Meloly tried releasing, but Orihime used Konton no Hi, forcing them to fall back while Tatsuki batted the blonde Arrancar into a building.

"Meloly!"

Orihime shunpo'ed in front of her and bashed Loly in the face with her shield, sending her flying toward the Primera Espada, Coyote Starrk.

He calmly side-stepped so Loly flew into a billboard.

"5 down, 60 to go."

Starrk sighed.

"All I wanted was to take a nap today. That plan's down the drain."

Ichigo's Inner World

"Still you get up. I'm surprised, Ichigo."

Ichigo got up from the building that Tensa batted him into.

"Until you teach me the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho, I'll just keep getting up, Tensa Zangetsu!"

"Of _that_, I am sure of. I, alone, cannot overwhelm you."

He shunpo'ed right in front of him, sticking his hand into Ichigo's chest.

"What the-" Tensa ripped out a white form that Ichigo knew all too well: Shiro, in the Resurrección form he used against Ulquiorra and Kokuto, only the mask was mirrored: black was white, and white was black.

"Yo, King."

He tilted the mask upward, showing his face.

"What's up?"

"Alone, I cannot defeat you and force you to accept my words, Ichigo. With Shiro, on the other hand..."

Both beings disintegrated and reintegrated as one. (AN: I won't bother describing him. We ALL know what Hollowfied Tensa Zangetsu looks like)

"Oh, fuck me." (AN: Play Fallen Angels from _Hell Verse_ here. It fits with screw screwed Ichigo is going to get)

"Prepare yourself, Ichigo Kurosaki. You will never learn the Saigo release from me!"

He charged at Ichigo, proving to be much faster then Ichigo, who was barely blocking the strikes.

And Ichigo knew that he was holding back.

A lot.

Finally, Ichigo blade snapped in two under the strain.

Still, Ichigo kept fighting, refusing to back down or look back.

Rukia's Inner World

Rukia and her Hollowfied zanpakutō spirit kept fighting, even after most of her sword was destroyed. "Give up, Rukia."

Rukia, whose uniform was in tatters and barely armed, spat out a small amount of blood.

"No. Ichigo taught me that, at least. I won't give up."

She discarded her white blade and drew Tensa Zangetsu from her back.

The hybrid spirit smiled.

Even if she figured out that the only way to learn the Saigo release to to get impaled by their zanpakutō, she had to have her sword in hand.

She wasn't holding her original blade, but Ichigo's, so even if she impaled her, Rukia would never learn the Saigo release.

That was the basic idea, anyways.

Nemo had told the two spirits through their spirit ribbons to destroy their respective swords.

He, and they, hoped Rukia would switch to Tensa Zangetsu while Ichigo would be stubborn and stick to Tensa Zangetsu, never thinking of using Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki.

He was trying to save both their lives and the lives of their zanpakutōs.

'Payback for bringing him to his senses 3 months ago, no doubt.'

"Some no Mai: Tsukishiro!"

Rukia dodged the attack, launching a Getsuga at Shirayuki.

"Fighting like Ichigo won't help you, Rukia. He always had my power and Zangetsu's, never hesitating to use us both! You can't beat me like that!"

Suddenly, the day she gave Ichigo her powers-the day their met and started falling in love-appeared in Rukia's mind.

Shirayuki charged at Rukia, who simply stood there with Tensa Zangetsu hanging limply from her right hand.

The blade went right through her heart, but she felt no pain.

"You figured it out. Problem is, Rukia, it was all for naught."

Rukia looked at Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki.

"What?"

"You had to hold _my_ blade, not Ichigo's. Ichigo figured that out already. He has learnt the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho. Once he uses it, however, he will cease to be a shinigami."

Rukia gaped.

"Not true."

Shirayuki removed her blade from Rukia and faced a face she thought she would never see again: Tensa Zangetsu, albeit in his Hollowfied form.

"Ichigo will not lose his powers. The link prevents that. He will lose something far, far worse."

Rukia, who was crying, looked at him.

"What? What will he lose?"

"His memories."

Karakura Town

Most of the Arrancar had fallen, although Harribel was still standing, along with her Fraccion and Ggio Vega (the remaining survivors of Baraggan's Fraccion being killed by a combination of friendly fire and various Bankai) were still alive, although their ultimate weapon, Ayon, was destroyed by a VERY pissed off Momo Hinamori.

Aizen and Tosen were freed from Yamamoto's fiery cage by his own secret weapon, the modified Arrancar (who was stripped of most of his powers and memories, being made to seal Ryūjin Jakka's flames) Wonderweiss Margela.

Yamamoto growled at the sight of the monstrosity after it used its' Resurrección.

"Fine. I did not want to do this, but it appears I have no choice."

He pulled out Ryūjin Jakka.

"Bankai: Zanka no Tachi."

Most of the fake town was incinerated by the flames, leaving only the shinigami and the Arrancar still alive.

Tosen looked at Aizen.

"Can Wonderweiss handle Zanka no Tachi's flames?"

"He was modified for Ryūjin Jakka's. Yamamoto hasn't Bankaied in years, so why the hell would I modify him for that, Tosen?!"

Tosen felt sad for the Arrancar.

He was, after all, a pure soul to him.

Yamamoto now held a battle-worn and heavily burned katana, but that was only the look of the blade.

It only had two rivals for the title of ultimate zanpakutō: Hokkyoku Sode no Shirayuki and Tensa Zangetsu.

Higashi: Kyokujitsujin would destroy anything that touched his blade, Nishi: Zanjitsu Gokui would made him untouchable, (literally, as anything that tried would be incinerated) Minami: Kaka Jūmanokushi Daisōjin would summon those he had killed to rise to his aid and Kita: Tenchi Kaijin would act like Ichigo's Getsuga Tensho, only with fire.

Even IF anyone could piss their pants in fear, there wouldn't be any sign of them doing so.

"Sosuke Aizen, in the name of the Spirit King and the Soul Society, you will die with your creation!"

Aizen chuckled.

"Bad choice, Captain-General. Longer your Bankai is active, the more damage you will cause to the world of the living."

He used Kita: Tenchi Kaijin to destroy Wonderweiss, who, while modified to handle Ryūjin Jakka, was in no way able to withstand the might of Zanka no Tachi.

Yamamoto left Bankai, returning to the less powerful (but still equally feared) shikai of Ryūjin Jakka.

'Forgive me, old friend, for abusing your power.'

'_It is quite alright. You did what needed to be done_.'

Yamamoto then found himself trapped in a black box he knew all too well: the 90th Hado spell, Kurohitsugi.

"Oh, fuck."

With the survivors

Everyone had gotten the fuck out of there, not wanting to get incinerated by the might of Zanka no Tachi. Apacci looked at Harribel.

"Ma'am, I have a question."

The shark lady looked at her youngest Fraccion.

"Go ahead."

"Is it too late to defect? No offense to you, but-"

"I understand how you feel, Apacci. I had the same thought myself."

Tatsuki shrugged.

"Talk to Ichigo when he gets back. He's kind of the one in charge of Arrancar recruitment. And in lieu of him, it's Rukia or Yoruichi. Nemo understands you guys better then anybody, but he's gone to God knows where."

Suddenly, the heat disappeared, meaning Yamamoto wasn't in Bankai.

He was also hit with Hado 90: Kurohitsugi.

"Fucking Christ. Move in!"

Suì-Fēng looked at the Arrancar that were still, technically, in Aizen's service.

"Help if you want, but stay the hell out of our way!"

The shinigami left, while Starrk, barely alive as he was, simply opened a Garganta and left for Hueco Mundo with the other half of his soul. "Fuck Aizen." were the last words he said before leaving.

Harribel shrugged.

"He has a point, people."

With Aizen

Aizen looked at the falling Yamamoto.

"That was too easy."

He dodged a fireball from Momo seconds after he said that.

"Well, shit."

Still, it was a good opportunity to get Kyoka Suigetsu back.

Momo Hollowfied and charged at him.

'Then again...'

Aizen dodged ceroes and kido attacks, but he couldn't keep it up forever.

'Fuck it.'

"Hado 90: Kurohitsugi!"

He trapped most of them in the Black Coffin, taking them out of the fight and outright killing Marechiyo Ōmaeda.

The only non-14th Division officers outside the Coffin of Death were Komamura, Suì-Fēng, Shuhei Hisagi and Momo.

Tatsuki and Orihime looked at Aizen.

"You're going down, you fucking bastard!"

"Aizen-sama, allow me to handle them."

The aforementioned bastard looked at Tosen.

"By all means."

Tosen unsheathed his zanpakutō.

"Unless you've forgotten, asshole, Orihime's here. We're immune to your Bankai and Aizen's zanpakutō!"

Tosen swung his blade in a semi-circle, aiming at Orihime.

"Suzumushi Nishiki: Benihikō."

Dozens, if not hundreds, of blades appeared, all targeting Orihime.

"Fuck."

Every single one hit her, and she was launched into a destroyed building.

"Now you are no long immune, girl."

"Guess again, asshole."

He could have looked, if he weren't blind as well as stupid.

Every blade hit Orihime's shield.

She was unharmed.

"Have we forgotten already? Only a Bankai can beat a Bankai, and mine counters yours!"

"Then I will go beyond Bankai."

He produced a white mask out of his uniform.

"Oh, hell. He woke up his Inner Hollow!"

"Wrong. I became it, as the _freak_ became his zanpakutō and Hollow."

He placed it on his face and tilted his zanpakutō downwards.

"For justice, I will do what I must. Suzumushi Hyakushiki: Grillar Grillo."

Orihime got the hell out of there and rejoined her team.

"What the fuck is going on?!"

"He just used Resurrección!"

They saw his huge form when the dust cleared. (AN: You know what he looks like. If not, use the wiki)

Tatsuki summed up their thoughts.

"That's a big bug. Anyone got a can of Raid or a giant boot we can use?"

Before anyone could answer, Tosen spoke up.

"I...I can see!"

His head turned toward them.

"So that is what you look like, Sajin. Odd, but understandable."

The wolf-like man growled.

"And how would that be, Kaname?"

"You are loyal, and your form is of a wolf, the most loyal of all animals."

Komamura chuckled.

"I see your point. But the time for talk is over, my old friend. Arisawa-san, you requested a giant boot, and you will get it! Bankai: Kokujō Tengen Myō'ō!"

A giant warrior appeared from out of nowhere, wielding a giant version of Komamura's shikai. Orihime, who remembered the Fade to Black Incident all too well, was horrified at seeing his Bankai once more.

"Not that thing again!"

Suì-Fēng sighed.

"If we're all going to fight him, I don't have a choice."

She donned her hornet-shaped Hollow mask and drew her sword.

"Bankai: Jakuhō Raikōben!"

A golden missile launcher appeared on her right arm.

Suì-Fēng used her left hand to move the Hollow mask off her face so she could aim her nuclear missile launcher of a Bankai.

Hisagi sighed.

He didn't like his superiors using Hollow powers, but they didn't have a choice.

He never learnt how, sticking with his shikai.

And his shikai he used.

"Reap, Kazeshini!"

The pinwheels of death appeared, linked as always by a long chain.

"Captain Tosen, I ask you to stand down one last time! We do not wish to fight you!"

Orihime and Tatsuki scoffed.

"Speak for yourself! Me and Orihime want to finish what we started in Las Noches!"

"Then it will be finished!"

Steel rained down on them.

"Looks like his shikai's powers are enhanced!"

"So what?! That's nothing new! Ichigo's powers are supercharged by his Inner Hollow!"

Suì-Fēng fired her missile at the Hollowfied Tosen, striking the target and doing heavy damage.

Hisagi, while hesitant, launched attacks of his own.

The heavy hitters, though, were Komamura, Orihime and Tatsuki, the latter two hacking off two of Tosen's wings.

"Konton no Hi!"

Tosen roared as the attack hit his head.

He hit Tatsuki, snapping the blades of her Bankai.

That didn't matter, though: they would come back.

The blades were a simple formally, as her real art was hakuda.

And those knuckleguards were now knuckledusters.

"Shunko!"

Green reiatsu covered the marshal artist's entire body, and she charged in, slamming her fist into Tosen's back with the force of a railgun round going at .9 lightspeed.

And that was just the first blow.

She kept hitting him, delivering enough damage to destroy the Repentance Cell a thousand times over. "Komamura, NOW!"

The wolfman's bankai slammed the sword onto Tosen's arms, cutting them off.

Tosen had another trick, though.

He fired a fused cero at the Bankai, destroying it.

"What was that about a boot?"

"BANKAI!"

Tosen realized that he missed someone: Momo.

"E**nkou** Tobiume!"

Her sword was longer, the prongs thicker, and she carried a rocket launcher akin to an old Super Bazooka in her left hand, which, from what she was firing from it, shot fireballs.

And insects didn't like fire.

"Oh, shit."

10 fireballs hit Tosen's Hollow form, frying him from inside and outside.

"AHH!"

Orihime shot a Shakkahō into Tosen's head.

"Shut up!"

It seemed to work, as Tosen stopped screaming.

"It is a shame."

Orihime looked at Komamura, who was badly hurt.

"He was my friend, yet he betrayed us for nothing."

Orihime deployed her Shun Shin Rikka to start healing Komamura's wounds.

"Everyone has a reason. Ichimaru's, we can understand, because his was simple: revenge. Tosen's, we can't, because it only made sense to him. Aizen? He's just a greedy, manipulative bastard who wants control of everything."

Orihime smirked.

"Speaking of which, he's next."

"Oh, really?"

Momo looked at her belt.

Kyoka Suigetsu was gone.

And they turned to face Aizen, who was holding the blade.

"I think not, Inoue. You have been a thorn in my side for far too long. All of you have."

"Unless you've forgotten, your zanpakutō is useless as long as Orihime is nearby, Aizen!"

"I don't _need_ it, Sajin. I simply wanted it back."

He opened his jacket, showing that his Hōgyoku was fused into his body.

"Oh, FUCK. You're more of a freak then Nemo is! And he _admits_ he's a freak of nature!"

"It matters not. The Spirit King will die at my hands today. And your home will serve as the beginning of my ascent to godhood."

"Not if we can help it!"

Tatsuki attacked the bastard, but he caught the punch and tossed her aside.

Orihime snarled and struck, but Aizen just slapped her aside like he did Tatsuki.

Momo was next, but he used Byakurai to take her down.

Using his zanpakutō, he impaled Komamura and threw him onto Hisagi.

Suì-Fēng was the last to fall, as she tried to use her Hollow-enhanced shikai to kill him, but he swatted her aside into a building.

"Now, to go, and make my key."

He opened a Senkaimon, his Hell Butterfly bypassing the Dangai.

This would spell to be his doom, as he could have stopped the greatest threat to him right then and there.

But he had no idea.

And he didn't really care.

In his mind, he had finally won.

Aizen's kicked the shit out of the Gotai 14's highest ranking officers, and, presumably, his own Arrancar.

Now he's on his way to Karakura, and only one person can stop him.

And THAT is what the price is: everything Ichigo has gone through, from the fight with Fishbone D to the final confrontation with Aizen to his relationship with Rukia and the Gotai 14...he will remember none of it.

Tragic, in a way, and originally not where I was going with it, but it's better then my original ending, and a hell of a lot better then what Kubo did, in my opinion.

I pulled an all-nighter to get this ready for you, so you damn well better enjoy it.

Next Time on the last proper chapter of _White Sun Rising_: Ichigo opens the last can of Whoopass on Aizen, and the consequences of his use of the final release.

Ja Ne!


	26. Chapter 25: Saigo no Getsuga Tensho

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Chapter 25: Saigo no Getsuga Tensho

Recap: Ichigo has learnt the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho, and Aizen, upon beating the Gotai 14's best, has gone to Karakura. Now Aizen and Ichigo meet in battle for the last time.

Aizen looked at the town.

It was practically deserted, but that didn't matter.

"Hey, Aizen-taicho."

Aizen turned to face a familiar face: Gin Ichimaru, sans haori.

"Ichimaru? I thought you were dead."

"You could say that, Aizen-taicho. Like a caterpillar dies when it turns into a butterfly."

His smile was insufferable.

"We got unfinished business, Aizen. You hurt a friend 'o mine a long time ago. I want payback."

"Really?"

He faced his former lieutenant.

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"This. Bankai: Kamishini no Yari."

Aizen didn't even see it coming.

Then again, Gin's Bankai was ungodly fast to use.

"That's it?"

"Nope. But I just wanted ya to know that ya fucked with the wrong people."

As soon as he was finished, Yoruichi and Urahara appeared.

"This again? It didn't work a century ago."

"We have a secret weapon, Aizen."

"Oh?"

He turned to face Gin, who showed his teeth in a wide grin.

"See ya, Aizen! Korose, Kamishini no Yari!"

Aizen raised an eyebrow, then he noticed he couldn't feel his legs.

He looked down to see that he was disintegrating.

"Oh, you son of a _BITCH_."

Gin's smirk widened. If it was even possible.

"What can I say, Aizen-taicho? I'm a snake! You just happened to be tastier then everyone else!"

Aizen screamed in frustration.

He couldn't move, so killing Gin (or anyone else, for that matter) was out of the question.

Using Kurohitsugi was also not an option, as he would be dead by the time he finished the incantation. He decided to just say five words.

"I fucking _HATE_ you, Ichimaru!"

Gin simply waved again.

"Bye-bye!"

He screamed again just as he disintegrated, leaving only the Hōgyoku behind.

"I only wish that you did that earlier, Gin."

"Well, I only got close so I could kill him. Besides, Kuchiki-chan needed someone to cheer her up. Kurosaki was perfect for the job!"

"Uh..."

All three turned to face four people: all of whom knew Ichigo.

They were Keigo Asano, Chizuru Honsho and Michiru Ogawa, along with the spiritually aware idiot Don Kanonji .

"Uh-oh. Thought everyone was getting knocked out."

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?!"

Urahara smiled at them.

"Well, kids-"

"We're shinigami."

Both exiles looked at Gin.

"I ain't bullshiting them, Urahara-taicho. I'm gonna tell them the truth. All of it."

And so Gin told them the basics of the shinigami, from their military organization to their zanpakutō to kido.

During that time, something BAD happened.

The Hōgyoku was glowing.

Chizuru decided to point that out.

"Uh, Ichimaru-san? That orb thing is glowing!"

Gin opened his eyes and looked.

"Aw, fuck me."

A bolt of lightning soared toward him, but Gin dodged it, getting the kids to duck in the process.

"Well, Gin, I must thank you."

Aizen was alive thanks to that damned orb.

And he looked like a fucking butterfly with eight wings.

"You made me feel fear. A key to evolution, it seems."

Keigo looked at the man in fear.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

Aizen smiled.

"I am Sosuke Aizen. And you are the keys to my ascent to godhood, Keigo Asano."

"H-How the hell did you know my name?!"

"Ichigo Kurosaki was originally the key to my plan. I know everything about him. I was also the one to kill his mother by sending the Hollow Grand Fisher after the boy when he was 9 year old."

This pissed all of them off.

From what they were told by Tatsuki, Ichigo was a happy boy prior to his mother's death.

HE was the reason Ichigo was a fucking prick sometimes?

"You fucking bastard!"

Gin stopped them from attacking him.

"I can't feel your reiatsu, Aizen. That means only one thing."

He stood up and faced Aizen.

"If you touch these kids, you'll kill them. I ain't letting you kill anyone else in your mad quest."

Aizen smiled at the man and the people in charge of the Urahara Shoten as they stood in front of the children.

"Noble, Gin. Very noble. But that will not help you."

"Look!"

Aizen turned, and saw the one thing he could actually truly fear.

Ichigo Kurosaki, who was carrying his father and the not-shinigami Nemo over his shoulder and holding onto Rukia with his left hand.

His hair was longer, the right sheave of his uniform was torn, he had a black glove on his right hand and the chain of his Bankaied zanpakutō was wrapped around his exposed arm.

He shoved Nemo and Isshin off his shoulders onto the ground while he gently placed Rukia down.

He looked at his comrades.

"Getaboshi. Yoruichi. Ichimaru."

His voice was also a lot deeper.

Then he looked at his friends and the idiot.

"Chizuru. Keigo. Michiru. Kanonji."

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo glanced at the bastard.

"I can't sense your reiatsu. You threw it away, didn't you?"

Aizen's tone was smug.

"Foolish of-"

"Aizen."

He looked right at the bastard.

"Let's take this somewhere else."

"You don't have the right to-"

Ichigo grabbed Aizen by his face and dragged him outside of town at high speed.

Kanonji voiced their thoughts.

"Whoa."

Keigo stood up shakily.

"I think we should go and watch. Give him our support."

Kisuke was about to say no, but Gin smiled at them.

"Okay. He's my new boss; might as well."

Chizuru looked at him.

"New boss?!"

"He's Captain of the 14th Division."

Outside Karakura Town

Ichigo shoved Aizen into the ground, face first.

"There."

Aizen got out of the hole Ichigo shoved him into.

"Now we can fight without hurting anyone."

He spat out a mouthful of dirt and rocks.

"Pure physical strength. You transformed your reiatsu into physical power. I don't know how and I do not care. You will die all the same!"

Kyoka Suigetsu made contact with Tensa Zangetsu, but the blade shattered as soon as more force was applied, a few shards of it being embedded in Ichigo's skin.

'_Thank you_...'

Ichigo swore he heard a woman's voice just as the shards disintegrated, but there was no one but him and Aizen around.

Aizen looked at his sword, which was disintegrating.

"Well, shit. _That_ didn't go as planned."

"You abandoned your zanpakutō, Aizen. It's to be expected."

Aizen snarled as another sword appeared in his hand, this being a simple blade without a guard.

"We're alike, Kurosaki, in that our evolutions fused our blades into our right hands."

Ichigo proved him wrong by switching hands.

"Well, don't be an ass, Kurosaki."

He swapped it back to his right hand.

"I'm ambidextrous. Have to be, thanks to Sode no Shirayuki."

"The one thing I never saw coming; never calculated into my plans. I planned for you getting your powers, you rescuing Kuchiki, even you getting bankai and your Hollow powers! Yet every plan was RUINNED because of that one sword!"

Aizen looked at the blade that was still on his left hip.

"Draw Sode no Shirayuki, Kurosaki."

"No. I don't need her to beat you."

"THEN DIE!"

He struck at Ichigo, but all he did was block Aizen's attacks with Tensa Zangetsu, destroying mountains in the process.

"With one swing of my blade, I change the landscape!"

He kept attacking, but Ichigo wouldn't budge.

Nothing was working against the 16 year old.

Then Ichigo caught the blade with his left hand.

The glove wasn't armored like the left one was.

All it showed was his link to Hell's powers.

Sure, it could summon the Skull Clad Armor, but Ichigo wasn't going to use that anytime soon.

Aizen pulled back, retreating.

"Why fall back, Aizen?"

"You surprised me. It won't happen again because you die, NOW!"

He extended his hand.

"Seeping crest of turbidity! Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!"

Ichigo didn't move, though something in him identified the spell.

He didn't know how he knew.

He just did.

"HADO 90: KUROHITSUGI!"

The coffin formed around Ichigo, trapping him inside. Aizen laughed as soon as it was complete.

"A perfect Black Coffin cast by a perfect being."

Then the coffin broke.

And what broke it was the golden hand of Ichigo Kurosaki.

'Impossible! But how?!'

Aizen then realized why he couldn't sense Ichigo: the same reason Gin couldn't sense him.

"You can't have evolved past me!"

"Aizen, it wasn't your sword that destroyed those mountains. It was Tensa Zangetsu. I hope you know that."

'He did. And he isn't alone in his evolution.'

He was forever linked to Rukia Kuchiki.

She evolved with him.

'He isn't alone. She could kill me as well as he can!'

"You're afraid. You're lonely. That's what I felt when I crossed swords with you. That's why you did what you did to me: so you would have someone equal to you."

'And he can resonate with such ease!'

"How?! How did you evolve be-"

Aizen started shaking in pain, then his body erupted in a shower of blood.

This time, Aizen's face was black with exposed white teeth and eyes, and the wings had heads on them. This time, Aizen had little thought other then killing Ichigo.

He fired a cero at him, but Ichigo blocked it with his arm.

He took no damage from the attack.

"That doesn't excuse your crimes, but I understand you now. Let's end this, Aizen."

With the others

The teens had long since puked.

Don Kanonji had more respect for Ichigo then ever.

Kisuke and Yoruichi were proud of their impromptu student.

And Gin?

Gin was honored to serve under Ichigo.

After a long and exhaustive interrogation, they learnt why he did what he did.

He couldn't return to captaincy, but they did offer him a place in the 14th Division: 3rd Seat, alongside Yoruichi.

"Scary kid. But he's got his head screwed on right and he just wants to protect everyone. I don't wanna fuck with him."

Kanonji said it best.

"No sane man would. The spirits were always with him."

Kisuke chuckled.

"Yeah, you could say that."

Yoruichi sat down.

"To think, 9 months ago, he killed his first Hollow. A month later, got his own powers and learnt how to use his zanpakutō and Rukia's. He got Bankai without any help within a week. Mastered his Hollow with 14 days. I pray the Spirit King isn't watching, otherwise, Ichigo will be taken into the Royal Guard."

"Or chosen to replace him. But I don't think either'll happen."

Then it happened. Ichigo began to use the Saigo release.

"What the hell's happening to Ichigo?!"

"The Saigo no Getsuga Tensho."

They turned to face someone new: Nemo, missing his mask.

"The final release of a zanpakutō. He is, in essence, _becoming_ the Getsuga Tensho. Normally, he would lose his powers. The link he shares with Rukia will prevent that. Instead, he will not remember a damned thing."

Keigo looked at Nemo.

"Who are you?"

"You can call me Nemo. 11th Seat, 14th Division. Captain Kurosaki is my commanding officer."

He looked at them.

"You must not tell him about his life as a shinigami. You only know now what he has been doing for the past year."

"But won't he get his memories back?"

"In time. His zanpakutō is part of his soul, same with his Inner Hollow. You cannot be rid of them, not completely. Only one man has truly rid himself of his zanpakutō."

He looked at Aizen.

"And as you can see, he has suffered the price for his idiocy."

"You mean Aizen."

He chuckled and put his hand on Chizuru's shoulder.

"Smart girl. Then again, you beat the shit out of me three days ago."

"That was you?!"

Kanonji looked at him.

"You are a spirit! How-"

"A gigai. Fake body: we use them for recon and to hide from Hollows. 'Bad Spirits', as you like to call them."

Finally, they heard one word: Mugetsu.

Moonless Sky.

A fitting name for the ultimate power of the Saigo no Getsuga Tensho.

Aizen was nearly destroyed, but he wasn't dead.

"Any minute, Hell's gates should open and the Kushanāda will be chewing on his bones."

The living beings looked at him.

"Hell? As in-"

"Hell."

Suddenly, the Gates appeared.

"Ah, right on schedule."

"They shouldn't see this."

"We can't erase their memories. They're my Division's problem, Urahara."

Suddenly, the arm of a Kushanāda appeared.

"_Sosuke Aizen, you have sinned against all. You belong to Hell now_."

Keigo noticed the voice.

"That's-"

Yoruichi explained.

"Ichigo added his will to Hell's. Nothing can escape now, not even Aizen."

As if to prove them wrong, the hand pulled back.

It seemed the Hōgyoku was pushing Hell's Will back.

It was the last act the device would make as Aizen's servant.

"_We cannot take you. But you are powerless now and forever. Ichigo Kurosaki, the one we bow to, has made it so_."

Urahara sighed.

"That backfired."

"Not true, Kisuke. Aizen's powerless. I can sense him now, and he's got as much reiatsu as a regular Rukongai villager."

"But he is immortal. I doubt even Zanka no Tachi could kill him."

Gin looked at Urahara.

"Seal him up. I'll get to Kurosaki-taicho."

"Since when-"

"_I'm_ Gotai. _You're_ not."

He shunpo'ed to Ichigo's side, then carried him back to Karakura.

Unlike Aizen, Ichigo's reiatsu wouldn't kill anyone.

His conscious mind might not remember, but his instincts did, and they wouldn't let him kill anyone.

Ichigo using Mugetsu should've killed Aizen, immortality or not.

4th Division Medical treatment center: 12 hours later

"Is the Lieutenant going to be alright?"

Rukia was in a coma, and she wasn't coming out of it.

Unohana shook her head, but it wasn't a definite no.

"I am not sure. None of us have learned this...Saigo release."

Hanataro looked at his Captain.

"Nemo-san has."

"Nemo-san also fused with another Hollow."

"I wondered why I was sneezing."

They turned to face the not-shinigami, who had just arrived.

"The link is why she is comatose. Without Ichigo knowing of his power, he cannot use it. If he cannot use Sode no Shirayuki to strengthen their bond, she cannot use Zangetsu. In a way, they are alive, yet they are both dead."

"A morbid way of looking at things, Nemo-san."

"Comes with being a zanpakutō/Inner Hollow hybrid. You take your zanpakutō's wisdom _and_ the bluntness of the Hollow."

He sighed.

"He should awaken his powers within the next two years. Despite the name, the Saigo release is _not_ permanent. If so, I would have died in Hueco Mundo 60 years ago."

"But if their link is that strong, why didn't she die?"

"Because Captain Kurosaki wasn't holding the _original_ Zangetsu. He was holding _Rukia's_ copy because I replaced his with hers. Remember, I know everything there is to know about a zanpakutō." Questioning the 11th Seat's judgment was a waste of time.

"The Central 46 have gathered. We should go."

"Time to watch the asshole get locked up."

Central 46 Chambers

"Sosuke Aizen! You stand accused of attempted rebellion, unethical and unwilling experimentation upon 7 shinigami of the Gotai 14 and the vice-commander of the Kido Corps, framing the then commander of the Kido Corps, the then Captain of the 12th Division, and the then captain of the 2nd Division and commander of the Onmitsukidō and multiple counts of high treason!"

Aizen, heavily bound to a chair, simply scoffed.

"Clearly, I'm not accused of anything. I'm not standing."

"Silence! You have been sentenced to eternal imprisonment within the Maggot's Nest. Your sentence is to be carried out immediately!"

Watching from close up were the seated officers of the Gotai 14: all 280 of them.

"This will not stop me. After all, I can't die!"

Tatsuki groaned.

"Someone shut him the fuck up, PLEASE!"

The Executive Militia personnel gagged Aizen, just as Tatsuki asked.

"Thank you!"

In Ichigo's place as Captain of the 14th Division was Yoruichi, while Gin took up Rukia's role as Lieutenant.

Neither wore the badges of office, as Ichigo and Rukia were still alive, and thus, incumbent.

"How long til we get our old jobs back again?"

Yoruichi looked at her fellow 3rd Seat.

"Two years, according to our zanpakutō expert."

"Damn."

"Sooner if something happens."

"Always does."

Naruki City

"He's lost his powers."

A magenta haired girl raised an eyebrow.

"We know almost nothing about him, just that he's a Substitute Shinigami."

"An ungodly powerful Substitute. More powerful then Ginjo was."

"He was almost as strong as Yamamoto."

"Kurosaki's a LOT more powerful then the old bastard. He just refuses to use it. Hell, from what my new contact told me, he doesn't remember a fucking thing!"

"New contact?"

"Someone in the new Division. Never said his name."

"Well, as long as Kurosaki's Fullbring is powerful, why the fuck should we care?"

Jackie Tristan agreed with her fellow Fullbringer.

All they need to do was set their little trap and force Ichigo Kurosaki to join Xcution.

The Lost Substitute Shinigami arc. This left a bad taste in my mouth, actually.

Seriously, I found it almost as bad as the Bount arc. And the Bount arc was anime only! The Lost Substitute arc was included in the manga!

At least it did a few good things: it gave us the proper generic name for Chad's power and made Zangetsu's shi and bankai look absolutely badass!

Honestly, that's it. Other then that, it was downright sour.

Moving on. The Epilogue is up next, then I can hit my next story: a _Sonic the Hedgehog/Mario/Bleach_ one. There is a major twist. You just need to wait to find out what it is.

Next Time on the epilogue of _White Sun Rising_: 17 after Aizen was defeated, Ichigo is being watched by a man with a familiar badge.

Ja Ne!


	27. Epilogue: White Sun Rising

White Sun Rising: Ron the True Fan Edition

Epilogue: White Sun Rising

Recap: It has been 26 months since Ichigo Kurosaki became a Substitute Shinigami and 17 months since he defeated Sosuke Aizen. Due to the price of the Saigo release, he remembers nothing of his time as a shinigami, being told he fell into a coma. His classmates know the truth, but they have been told not to tell him or even speak of it unless Ichigo regains his powers. Even his family refuses to speak of it. Other groups, however, have plans for the Captain of the 14th Division, including a lost Substitute.

'_Do you want to save them_?'

Ichigo opened his eyes, waking up from that damned dream.

The only reason he didn't say anything about it was the girl in it.

She was beautiful.

He wasn't the type to believe in horoscopes and shit like that, but he honestly thought the girl was his soul mate: that they were meant to be together.

"GOOD MORNING-"

Ichigo shut his window, making his idiot father crash into it.

If he kept it up, Isshin would be dead before he was 50. (AN: Although he's actually a LOT older)

He left his room, going through the motions of his life, not knowing he was being watched by his subordinates and by someone he didn't know.

His name was Ginjo Kujo, a former Substitute that couldn't be trusted, as he abused his powers too often, doing little to help the Soul Society.

Ichigo was the polar opposite: he rarely used them, and the Soul Society owed him their existence at least 7 times over.

Still, Ginjo had an unnaturally long life, even though they stripped him of his powers.

He watched his fellow Substitute head to his school.

"Anything from your contact, Jackie?"

"_Just that he doesn't remember a damned thing. He SHOULD be easy to manipulate. But he did tell me there's a risk_."

Ginjo hid behind a corner.

"When isn't there?"

"_His Fullbring could make him remember. __**Then**__ we'd be screwed_."

"After we take it, that won't matter."

"_It could also wake up his shinigami powers. THEN he would __**kill us all**_."

Ginjo scoffed.

"We'll deal with it when it happens. It's time to put our plan to work."

14th Division barracks

Yoruichi looked at Nemo.

"You've been manipulating Xcution the entire time."

"Captain Kurosaki brought me back from an abyss of hate and revenge. I will do anything to make sure his powers are awakened once more."

He closed his phone.

"Besides, as he knows I'm our expert on zanpakutō, Captain-General Yamamoto ordered me to do whatever I found necessary to preserve the lives of our commanding officers, ma'am."

"And you find this necessary?!"

He looked at her with his uncovered Hollow eye.

Ever since the Winter War, he hadn't bothered keeping his old mask on.

"It's the only way, ma'am. Otherwise, Lieutenant Kuchiki will remain comatose for the rest of the Captain's natural life."

Yoruichi shook her head.

"I hate that we have to do this. Can't one of us just stab him again to awaken his powers?"

"Only Lieutenant Kuchiki can do it and survive. If I did it, they and I would die. Same for anyone else."

"And Rukia can't wake up until Ichigo uses his powers."

"Catch-22. I hate those, too."

And so it begins.

Yes, Nemo is Jackie's contact. And he's screwing them over. As in canon, Yamamoto wants Ginjo dealt with, but in this he wants one of his captains back, as well.

You will not be seeing the sequel up until I get more information on the latest arc: Ichigo getting his zanpakutō back, the story of Isshin and Masaki meeting, the Ichigo-like Vasto Lorde, more information on the Vandenreich, that sort of thing.

I miss my archives. They made my work so much easier.

I'll see you next time on the sequel. Or the new story. Whichever comes first.

Ja Ne!


End file.
